Teen in stolen Audi that rammed police car jailed

A TEENAGER who was a passenger in a stolen Audi when it twice rammed a police car has been locked up.

Abdullah Jamanca was in the front seat of the Audi A1 when his driver friend Malakiy Liguouri attempted to evade officers as they tried to box them in.

The pair were successfully detained and two weapons – an axe and a kitchen knife with an eightinch blade – were recovered.

Leicester Crown Court was told officers spotted the vehicle waiting at red lights on the A50 an hour after it was taken from the owner’s home in Moira, near Ashby, on Wednesday, August 12 last year.

As the police vehicles attempted to close in, Ligouri rammed one of them twice, the court was told.

At an earlier hearing, Jamanca, who has since turned 18, and 19-year-old Ligouri admitted aggravated vehicle taking and jointly possessing two offensive weapons.

Jamanca also admitted possessing cannabis and a later public order offence of threatening behaviour, relating to a separate incident.

Liguori, of Kirby Road, off King Richard’s Road, Westcotes, Leicester, was sentenced ahead of Jamanca last month.

Liguori was given 15 months’ detention and banned from driving for 31-and-a-half months.

Jamanca’s hearing was adjourned until Friday, October 29 pending the preparation of probation service reports.

When he returned for sentencing, Judge Keith Raynor said that the pair had somehow obtained the keys to the Audi and that Liguouri had driven it dangerously while Jamanca allowed himself to be carried in it.

He told Jamanca, of Robert Hall Street, off Abbey Lane, Leicester: “You’re a troubled young man. You’ve been taking too much cannabis in the past and that’s linked to your mental health difficulties.

“You’ve been living in supported accommodation but not been taking instructions from those trying to assist you. You’ve been taking trips to Skegness and there’s a real fear you’re being used by others for criminal ends. The reports I’ve read aren’t positive.”

Speaking of the defendant’s recent behaviour, the judge said: “On October 4, you took a knife from your accommodation and were observed walking around the house wearing a mask and later turned up at your mother’s house and she felt threatened.

“You’d also been talking about buying £250 worth of cocaine.

“On October 5, you were showing aggressive behaviour to home staff members. On October 6, it was still thought you were in possession of a missing knife.

“Your behaviour has been increasingly difficult for home staff to manage and you present an increasing risk to others in the home.”

The judge said Jamanca was being assisted in relation to ADHD and autism, but because of his recent conduct the pre-sentence report author was unable to propose a penalty which could be served in the community.

The judge added: “Your counsel says you have on occasions engaged with the mental health services and invites me to suspend the sentence.

“But you’re not consistently taking your medication and sometimes take too little or too much.

“I don’t think there’s a realistic prospect of rehabilitation because of what I’ve read in the reports.”

Jamanca was sentenced to a total of seven months and two weeks’ detention in a young offenders institution.