A PROLIFIC teenage burglar and car thief has been sent back to prison for his part in a crime in which he was nearly run over.

Amar Majid, of Marton Road, Middlesbrough, was involved in a high-speed chase on the A19 in a car he helped to steal from a house in Billingham, near Stockton.

The 17-year-old, who has a list of offences for home burglaries and taking cars, pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to burglary and taking a Peugeot.

Majid was a passenger in the car, which crashed and overturned in the incident on January 9, after it was chased by the owner's boyfriend.

The couple in the house, in Blake Close, Billingham, had gone to bed at about 11pm before they heard the sound of breaking glass.

The man dressed, ran downstairs and chased his wife's stolen car towards the A19 in his BMW.

The occupants of the stolen vehicle threw items out of the car at him, including the headrests and CDs.

After the crash, Majid got out the car and was almost run down by a passing vehicle.

The court heard how Majid had a series of similar offences over the past two years.

Majid, who received a three-year criminal anti-social behaviour order last year, has been identified in a Middlesbrough scheme to highlight the town's 20 most prolific and serious offenders.

John Constable, in mitigation, said Majid had suffered a difficult upbringing and poor schooling.

He said: "He is a young man who comes from an appalling set of circumstances. He was abandoned by his parents."

Mr Constable said custody had previously not worked and that putting him on a community rehabilitation order might address his issues.

He said: "He realises he could have been killed. He thought he needed to chill out and get away from this conduct of the past."

Judge Tony Briggs said: "I regret that custody is unavoidable."

Majid was given an 18-month detention and training order and was disqualified from driving for three years.