Tithe Close criminal escapes jail

A TEENAGE father who was found guilty of driving a stolen car at high speed into a brick wall has escaped with a 16 week suspended prison sentence.

Gerald Saba, 18, of Tithe Close, Hayes, was also sentenced to 150 hours of community service, pay £350 costs, and ordered to wear an electronic tag for four months at Uxbridge Magistrate's on Friday.

The court heard how at 4.15pm on 13 August last year Mr Saba had been the driver of a black Vauxhall Corsa which failed to stop when challenged by police.

The car continued to drive at 40mph in a 30mph zone before smashing headfirst into a brick wall in Savoy Avenue, Hayes.

It was later discovered that the car was listed as missing from a burglary in West Drayton, although no charges were brought against Mr Saba in relation to this.

After attempting to flee the scene and initially resisting arrest he was detained and charged.

The court heard how since the offence, Mr Saba, who was jobless at the time, had become a father and was attempting to turn his life around.

He had got a part-time job and enrolled in a college course and was determined to contribute to his newborn child's life, by being there, and financially.

Miss Dutt, defending, said: "He isn't the man he was last August and he has got his life in order."

The car was written off and he was found guilty of driving without a license, failure to stop, and aggravated vehicle taking, and also given a curfew ordering him to stay at his home address between 9.30pm and 7am.