Teenager burgled grandmother's home to steal her BMW while she slept
He later smashed up the car during police chase
A teenager who helped burgle a grandmother’s home to take her car has been jailed.
Ethan Cawley was part of gang that targeted the property in Carlton, near Rothwell.
He appeared at Leeds Crown Court where he admitted burglary, theft of the BMW, dangerous driving, driving without a licence and without insurance.
The victim had been asleep in the early hours of September 18 last year when she heard her dog barking and then her neighbour knocking on her door to say her car was gone.
They had gained entry through a bathroom window and taken her car keys from her handbag.
A short time later police spotted it being driven by Cawley who was wearing a balaclava.
They began to chase the car and footage from the police vehicle showed they were travelling at 98mph at one stage and were still unable to catch the powerful car.
The BMW then crashed, causing the airbags to be activated. Four males then got out and ran, two of which were detained.
The BMW was written off.
Cawley, of no fixed address, was forensically linked to the balaclava found. He later handed himself into Elland Road police station on December 1. He was arrested and detained.
Cawley, who was 19 at the time but is now 20, has 16 previous convictions including two burglaries.
Mitigating, Samreen Akhtar said Cawley had fallen in with a bad crowd and was trying to “impress” them.
She said: “He does not wish it to become a relentless cycle of court houses and prisons.”
Cawley, who appeared in court over a video link from HMP Doncaster, was permitted to read out a letter he had written, saying he wished to apologise to the victim and the fear he had caused.
He added: “I really want to change and contribute positively to society.”
Ms Akhtar said Cawley had become a father since being held on remand, which had been his “biggest punishment”.
The judge, Recorder Ruwena Khan, said despite Cawley’s apparent remorse, said he still had a “nonchalant” attitude to his previous offending.
She jailed him for 32 months.