A teenager crashed a car stolen from a disabled woman while driving to escape police at speeds of up to 90mph.

Patrick Ostridge, aged 19 of Hardy Drive, Chorley led officers on a high-speed chase through several of Bolton busiest roads, including De Havilland Way, Manchester Road West and the M61 on November 19 2020.

The car he had been driving had been stolen from a disabled woman’s home while she was in hospital.

Ostridge crashed the vehicle into Vauxhall Corsa before hitting a lamppost, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Anna Chestnutt, prosecuting, said: “Suffice to say, significant damage was caused.”

She added: “The was a prolonged piece of dangerous driving, whilst being pursued by the police.”

Ms Chestnutt told the court how after he was finally stopped by the police, Ostridge was found with cannabis, scales, cash and a mobile phone.

The Honourary Recorder of Bolton Judge Martin Walsh said Ostridge was in court to be sentenced for possession of cannabis, rather than intent to supply.

Megan Tolitt defending, argued that Ostridge deserved credit for having pleaded guilty to his crimes and said that he had failed to stop for police when he ‘panicked.’

She said: “He frankly says that it was a very stupid decision.”

Ms Tolitt claimed that he was “associated with the wrong crowd at the time” but had made efforts to turn his life around since then and had not smoked cannabis for around a year.

She also pointed out that Ostridge was not being sentenced for the original theft of the car, which he says he did not know had been stolen from a disabled woman, but that he believed it had belonged to a friend of his.

Judge Walsh said his actions could have had fatal consequences.

He said: “It is only by good fortune that no members of the public were seriously injured or killed.”

Judge Walsh sentenced Ostridge to 12 months in a young offenders institution, suspended for two years along with 30 rehabilitation requirement days and a curfew between 7pm and 7am for three months.