A TEENAGER who stole a £40,000 Jaguar sports car from Teesside Airport and wrote it off in a 100mph crash, was jailed for a year yesterday.

Gavin Hirst, 18, was hanging around the airport with a bag hoping to catch a plane to anywhere - even though he did not have a passport.

He spotted the Jaguar XK8 with the keys left in the ignition, and drove off at speed, said David Scutt, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court.

Half an hour later, Hirst crashed on a bend near the Tall Trees Hotel, at Yarm, near Stockton, while driving at 100mph. The car, which ended up in a ditch, was a write-off, the court heard.

After he was cautioned, Hirst told police: "It wasn't theft - I borrowed the car. I did not kill anyone."

Hirst said his intention had been to drive to York.

Peter Makepeace, in mitigation, said it was an opportunistic offence by Hirst who had previous convictions for taking cars.

Judge Peter Fox QC said he was lucky to be alive.

Hirst, of Stanley Street, York, was sent to a young offenders' institution for 12 months and disqualified from driving for three years, after he pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and driving without insurance and a full licence.

He was told he must pass an extended driving test before he can apply for a licence.