AN 18-year-old has been ordered to do 120 hours community service and banned from driving for 12 months, after admitting to a string of motoring offences.

Stephen Ganley, of Padgate Road, Pennywell, in Sunderland, admitted two charges of aggravated vehicle taking, one of taking a vehicle without consent, two of driving while disqualified and two of driving without insurance.

Yesterday, Teesside Crown Court heard that he had committed the offences in Easington and Sunderland, in June and September of last year.

The court heard that in June he was a passenger in a stolen vehicle which crashed twice, while being pursued by police.

And in September he was seen by police officers driving a stolen vehicle worth £22,000 on the A19.

Again he was pursued by police, but managed to evade capture and abandoned the car.

Also that month he was seen driving a Toyota, which police suspected was stolen, and he drove at "excessive speeds" to evade capture again. He was arrested later that month.