Man shopliftedNews then led police on high-speed chase

A JOBLESS man has blamed benefit sanctions after he stole from a discount store and led police on a dangerous car chase.

Kenneth Youles, 31, of Meadow Street, Houghton-le-Spring, was jailed for one year after admitting theft and dangerous driving.

Chris Morrison, defending, told Durham Crown Court that Youles’ family had been left penniless by benefit sanctions, before he stole £211 worth of stock from B&M Bargains in Darlington.

The father then took police on a high speed chase out of the city, before crashing into a car.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said Youles had 69 previous convictions before the theft and car chase on February 1.

The court heard he was already banned from driving when he got behind the wheel, and was driving without insurance.

Mr Morrison said that Youles had struggled to find work because of his lengthy criminal record.

He said: “He has applied for 2,000 jobs but had just three interviews. He was doing his best to try and go straight but he found himself in a position where his partner faced benefit sanctions.

“It appears these things are now dealt with centrally, and the effect was that his family were left essentially penniless with a five-year-old to sustain.”

Youles pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and his crimes were derided as “amateurish” in court by his defence solicitor.