No jail for golf club joyrider

extent of the damage . . . the side of the clubhouse at Crompton and Royton Golf Club

A 15-year-old joyrider who crashed a powerful Mercedes into Crompton and Royton Golf Club escaped jail on Friday — but only because of his age.

The boy, from Chadderton, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was told by district judge James Prowse, at Oldham Youth Court, that had he been 25-years-old, first offences of this magnitude would have put him in jail for at least three years.

He faced six offences — two of burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without a licence, no insurance and allowing himself to be carried in an unlicensed vehicle.

Originally, the boy had denied burglary but later admitted the offences along with the other four.

Ben Southam, prosecuting, told the court of a chain of offences which started when an Oldham woman awoke one night in April to find lights on in her house.

Her Vauxhall Vectra was stolen along with a mobile phone and spirits. Later, a sporty Mercedes was reported stolen together with a TV and a bottle of champagne. The stolen Mercedes was spotted by a police officer and followed into High Barn Lane.

At the golf club, it crashed into the building and turned on its side.

The Vauxhall was behind and that reversed into a taxi, the court was told. The driver of the Mercedes was the 15-year-old. The driver of the Vauxhall fled the scene.

Mr Prowse said the boy’s years had saved him, imposing a referral order to the Youth Offending Team for 12 months.

He said: “Turn your life around and get it back on track. I never want to see you in this court again.”