A 14-YEAR-OLD boy from Whitefield who was caught driving a Ford Focus has been referred to a youth offender panel for 12 months.

Manchester youth court heard how the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, committed the offence in Rochdale on July 6.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, stealing a car, burglary, theft, having no licence or insurance and having a Stanley knife in public.

In addition he was ordered to pay the car owner £230 in compensation and he was formally banned from obtaining a driving licence for three years after which he must take an extended test.

A MAN has been fined by magistrates after he was caught carrying a pillion passenger on a scooter.

At Manchester Magistrates’ Court Tony Hodgson, aged 47, of Warth Road, Bury, pleaded guilty to committing the offence on September 6 last year in Market Street, Bury.

He also pleaded guilty to driving the scooter without a licence or insurance.

He was fined £480 and was ordered to pay £129 in costs and charges.

MAGISTRATES have jailed a man for 20 weeks after he admitted stealing an Armani gift set, worth £69 from Boots in Bury on January 4.

Aaron McKinlay, aged 28, of Butterworth Street, Radcliffe, also pleaded guilty to possessing a pair of pliers to use for theft and breaching a suspended sentence.

He was also ordered to pay £115 in costs and charges.

A SHOPLIFTER who stole electric toothbrushes, worth £400, from Superdrug in Bury between December 29 and January 5 has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison by Manchester magistrates. Dane Twemlow, aged 36, of Cateaton Street, Bury, was also ordered to pay £239.97 in compensation.

A DRINK driver who failed to stop after an accident at a motorway junction has been banned from holding a licence for 18 months.

At Manchester Magistrates’ Court Dylan Jeffreys, aged 23, of Whelan Close, Bury, pleaded guilty to committing the offences.

The court heard that Jeffreys had drunk more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he drove a BMW 316d on the M60 at junction 17 and was involved in a collision.

He was fined £250 and was ordered to pay £115 in costs and charges.

A THIEF who stole bottles of vodka and wine from Bury supermarkets has been jailed for 34 weeks.

Damien Richardson, aged 51, of Spencer Street, Bury, pleaded guilty to taking the vodka from Morrison’s on December 10 and two bottles of wine from Asda on January 7. The offences were committed while he was subject to a suspended sentence and he was ordered to pay an £115 victim surcharge.