TWO teenage joyriders smashed into six parked cars causing £13,500 of damage during a high-speed police chase, a court heard.

The GMP force helicopter filmed the pursuit through the streets of Atherton and Hindley in the early hours of December 2 last year. The stolen Ford Mondeo sped through the streets at speeds of up to 80mph losing one police vehicle in the process.

Later the boys lost control of the car and it smashed into six parked cars before part demolishing a street light.

Escaped

Despite the chase and the damage caused to other vehicles Mark Wohler and James Bain escaped being sent to youth custody.

After hearing Wohler was due to be released from a sentence on April 22 and Bain had spent three months in custody on remand, Judge Elliot Knopf passed community penalties.

Bain, who admitted driving the car dangerously for most of the police pursuit, was sentenced to a two year Community Rehabilitation Order with a condition he attends the Targeted Offender Programme.

Wohler was sentenced to a 12 month Community Rehabilitation Order with a condition he attends the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme.

The judge told both young men that they were lucky and that the sentences were their last chance.

Bain, aged 19, of Smithwood Avenue, Hindley, and 17 year-old Wohler, of Brookdale Road, Hindley, both appeared for sentence at Bolton Crown Court.

Bain admitted the aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, burglary and possessing cannabis and Wohler admitted to aggravated vehicle taking by allowing himself to be carried in the car. Wohler's criminal record included offences of going equipped for theft, criminal damage, aggravated vehicle taking, interfering with a vehicle and disqualified driving. Bain's record included driving convictions and an attempted burglary in a non-dwelling house.

Prosecutor Lisa Boocroft said that in the early hours of December 2 last year keys for a Ford Mondeo were stolen in a burglary. Later that night at around 4.30am the GMP force helicopter saw the car at a service station and it was seen again in Swan Lane in Hindley Green minutes later.

Lost sight

A police officer pursued the stolen Mondeo but it accelerated away at speeds of up to 90mph and he lost sight of it until a second officer picked it up. The car continued speeding up to 80mph through Schofield Lane before carrying out a u-turn in Atherton Road. Shortly afterwards the Mondeo went out of control and smashed into a line of six parked cars before hitting a street light.

Defending Bain, Richard Heap said that Bain had served the equivalent of a six month sentence while on remand. He had fully admitted his role in the offences and had seemingly gone off the rails during the period of offences.

Lisa Judge, defending Wohler, said he and his siblings, had been abandoned by his mother and had not coped well with being in care.