A TEENAGER has been detained after breaching three suspended sentences following his latest offence.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Bronislav Bucek, 19, was sentenced for a burglary carried out in July 2019, before appearing in court again for possession of an imitation firearm and two offences of failing to surrender.

In total, he was handed a sentence of 12 months and one week suspended for 24 months.

Then, at Preston Crown Court, in November last year, he received another suspended sentence for aggravated vehicle taking and burglary after Bucek and an accomplice broke into a gym in August 2019 and stole car keys to a VW Golf which was involved in a car chase a few months later.

He received a 12 month prison sentence suspended for 24 months.

Bucek, of Cavendish Gardens, Bolton, also pleaded guilty to a charge of handling stolen goods and received a sentence of eight weeks at a young offender's institution after he was caught driving another vehicle that had been taken in a house burglary.

Robert Smith, prosecuting, said Bucek's latest offences took place on December 12 last year at around 9pm when police officers saw a silver Seat speeding on Albert Road in Bolton.

The driver accelerated and drove on the wrong side of the road as he overtook other vehicles and a pursuit started with the Seat clipping a bus and the driver turning off his lights before going through red lights and reaching 60mph in a 30mph zone.

The car pulled over and a passenger escaped before Bucek brought the vehicle to a halt on Radcliffe Road and was arrested.

Kevin Liston, defending, said there had been allegations that Bucek, who appeared via video link from HMP Forest Bank, had been the victim of modern slavery and pointed out that most of the offences involved "an older member of the Czech community".

"He rarely commits these offences on his own," said Mr Liston. "He is always in the company of another party and he is a vulnerable individual who is suggestible, easily influenced and finds it difficult to not get involved in criminal activity under their level of control."

Sentencing Bucek, who pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and failing to stop, Judge Graeme Smith said he had "no choice" but to detain the teenager.

"It seems plain that you were paid by someone else to drive the car, however, you exercised a choice to do that because you wanted the money," said Judge Smith. "This offence is one we sadly see every day of the week, typically by young men."

He activated each of the suspended sentences, meaning Bucek, who was also disqualified from driving for two years, will serve two years in a young offenders' institute.