Motoring offences man jailed

8:37am Tuesday 13th May 2008

A KIDDERMINSTER man has been jailed for a catalogue of motoring offences.

At Worcester Crown Court Jason Watkins, 27, was sentenced to a total of 29 months for offences including aggravated vehicle taking and driving with excess alcohol.

Peter Tooke prosecuting told how Watkins, of Cobham Road, took a Rover car while its owner was in a takeaway in Stourbridge.

He said of the incident on November 4, 2007: "The owner had left the keys on the counter and the defendant took them. When the car was recovered it was damaged."

He said police found Watkins in a car park and took him in for questioning and to test his alcohol level. He was found to have 200millilitres of alcohol in his blood. The legal limit is 80.

On February 19 this year he was drinking in a pub in Kidderminster with a man he knew and as the man went to the toilet leaving his keys on the table Watkins took the keys and drove off. CCTV footage from the pub showed Watkins get in the car and drive off.

On April 7 police were called to a domestic dispute in Bewdley and saw Watkins in a Ford Transit van. He escaped on foot from police but the chasing officer later identified him as a disqualified driver, having been banned for three years in 2005.

Mr Tooke added that Watkins had 82 previous convictions including 17 driving while disqualified.

At the court hearing Watkins also admitted two offences of failing to surrender to bail as well as driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.

Jason Aris defending said: "He is remorseful for what he did and concedes his behaviour has been absolutely stupid."

Editors Choice