Joyrider found with socks on his hands

IPSWICH: Joyrider Ben Baxter was found with socks on his hands when police caught him after a stolen car crashed during a high-speed pursuit.

Today, the 19-year-old, of Rubens Road, Ipswich, is under a curfew after pleading guilty to being carried in the vehicle.

Baxter was one of three joyriders in a Ford Fiesta which officers estimate went through the village of Wetherden at around 80mph in a 30mph limit.

He was believed to be wearing the socks to avoid leaving fingerprints in the car, which was taken from the Stoke Park area of Ipswich.

The three-mile chase ended in Stowmarket when the Fiesta crashed near the junction of St Edmunds Road and Kingsmead Road.

Police have never been able to prove who was driving during the pursuit that began around 3.25am on June 30.

The prosecution alleged that officers were called by a member of the public who saw three people acting suspiciously around a garage in Wetherden.

Although police could not find anyone, the Fiesta came past them at an estimated speed of 80mph.

The officers put their car's flashing lights on and began the pursuit. However, the driver of the Fiesta would not stop.

The chase finally ended when the driver lost control of the stolen car and hit a concrete bollard, before the tyres on the vehicle burst. All three occupants got out, but only two were caught.

Baxter, who has never held a driving licence, was one of the pair arrested . Although Baxter was given police bail, he failed to surrender to Bury St Edmunds police station at the appointed time, the court heard.

While on bail Baxter also stole alcohol from the One Stop shop in Reynolds Road, Ipswich on August 16.

He pleaded guilty to this offence as well as failing to answer police bail.

Magistrates gave him a nine-month supervision order and put him on a three-month curfew between 9pm and 6am.

Baxter was also ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He was told to pay �25.80 compensation to One Stop.