A 23 year old man who committed a string of driving offences has been jailed by the High Bailiff for a total of 8 months.

Christopher James Christian, of no fixed abode, admitted eight offences: taking a vehicle without the owner's consent; driving whilst disqualified by not having taken a test; failing to provide breath samples; failing to stop after an accident; failing to report an accident; dangerous driving and failing to set the handbrake.

The offences were all committed between the 6th and 9th of May and involved a police chase in Douglas which ended when the van Christian had stolen could not get any further in Nelson Street. He and a co-defendant jumped out of the van which then rolled back into a police vehicle.

Stuart Peters has the details:

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The driving of the van had been witnessed by people on Loch Promenade and Castlemona Avenue. It was seen to jump a stop sign, drive on a pavement and crash into a car.

Following his arrest the defendent failed to provide breath samples.

His advocate said Christian had been walking home from hospital after discharging himself in the early hours when he saw the van in Union Mills with keys in the ignition and decided to take it.

Mr Moyle disqualified Christian, who is already banned from driving until 2009, for a further two years to run from now.

Co-defendant 18 year old Ashley James Wheeler of Marathon Road Douglas admitted a charge of allowing himself to be carried in the van knowing it to be stolen. He also admitted stealing an ipod from a car in Braddan

He was sentenced to a total of six months, including the activation of a two month suspended prison sentence, and was disqualified from driving for two years.