A TEENAGE tearaway who was involved in a high-speed police chase just hours after release from jail is today starting a fresh two-year stint behind bars.

A TEENAGE tearaway who was involved in a high-speed police chase just hours after release from jail is today starting a fresh two-year stint behind bars.

Lee Nicholls, 19, of Drake Avenue, Ipswich, was sent to a young offenders' institute after admitting speeding through the town at speeds of up to 70mph while drunk in the early hours of Wednesday November 22.

Nicholls had only been released from prison for 18 hours prior to the incident after serving the majority of an 18-month sentence imposed in 2005 for taking a vehicle without the owner's consent and driving while disqualified.

He had been due to be released on Christmas Eve.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that on November 22, Nicholls stole a Ford Fiesta from Ringham Road in Ipswich and then failed to stop for police in Cotman Road.

A chase followed which resulted in his car colliding with a police dog unit driven by Pc Neil Smith.

Following the crash Nicholls and his 15-year-old passenger attempted to flee the scene but were arrested by police.

Pc Smith was taken to Ipswich Hospital as a precaution but was released later that morning.

Police smelt alcohol on Nicholls' breath and a test back at the police station showed he had 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Nicholls was sentenced to a total of two years for taking a vehicle without the owner's consent, driving while disqualified and driving with excess alcohol.

He has been disqualified from driving for three years.

N Is it right for offenders to be released early on licence? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk