A teenager who stole a bus and led police in a three-hour, 14-car chase has been sent to a young offender's institution for five months.

At Witham Youth Court the 17-year-old was sentenced to five months' detention, five months' training on his release, and was disqualified from driving for a year.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, failing to stop for police, and having no insurance or licence.

Andrew Perry, prosecuting yesterday (Tuesday) , said the youth stole the bus from Duke Street bus depot, Chelmsford, and drove it south along the A12 then the A1023.

At Shenfield he ran through three red lights and collided with an ambulance - slightly injuring its occupants.

When the bus joined the M25 it ran over a police stinger slowing the pursuit to 20mph.

The Chelmsford youth, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, rang the police to tell them he was not stopping until he ran out of fuel.

Mr Perry said the bus came to a stop when all its wheels had come off. Repairs cost £16,000.

Debbie Hunt, mitigating, said the case was "bizarre and extraordinary".

She said: "There is no way this offence was pre-meditated - he had been seeing friends off on another bus, he saw an opportunity to steal the keys. It was completely spur of the moment."

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