TWO teenagers who sparked a high-speed police chase through the streets of South Somerset in a stolen car which ended in Yeovil on Sunday (February 24) have admitted a string of offences.

Jay Hotson and Chloe Goodes were spotted by police in the Axminster area in an Audi convertible they had stolen during a burglary at a Crewkerne garage in the early hours of the morning.

The car careered along the A30 at breakneck speeds of up to 100mph before racing through Crewkerne town centre while overtaking other vehicles.

On its way towards Yeovil the driver, Hotson, raised his hand and stuck up two fingers to the pursuing police car and then threw a glass bottle at their vehicle.

After running over a police Stinger device, they continued towards Yeovil, overtaking cars in the path of oncoming vehicles and then drove through the town centre with three flat tyres and parts of the wheels flying off.

They eventually came to a halt after trying to drive through two queues of stationary traffic on the Reckleford dual carriageway and making a run for it.

Police detained Goodes straight away and eventually caught Hotson after he fled the scene towards Yeovil fire station.

Hotson, 18, of Roman Road, Shute Woods, Axminster and Chloe Goodes, 18, of St Leonards Road, Honiton, were brought before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil in custody today (Monday) facing numerous charges.

They both pleaded guilty to a joint charge of entering Rivermead Garage at Crewkerne on February 24 and stealing keys to an Audi A3.

Hotson also admitted a charge of dangerous driving and taking a car without the owner’s consent and driving it causing damage to the vehicle and then colliding with four other vehicles.

He also admitted driving the car without insurance or a licence along with taking a motorcycle without the owner’s consent at Yeovil on February 23.

Goodes also admitted a charge of allowing herself to be carried in a stolen vehicle after which an accident occurred and damage was caused to four other vehicles.

Prosecutor Suzie Butler said that the keyholder for Rivermead Recovery garage at Crewkerne was alerted by an alarm on Sunday morning at 3.30am, and when he attended with police discovered an abandoned Lexmoto motorbike. It had been left there after being stolen from an address in Yeovil in January.

He discovered an Audi A3 convertible was missing from the garage, and when CCTV was viewed it showed the two defendants at the premises and the officer recognised Hotson.

At around midday on Sunday the vehicle was spotted in the Axminster area as it drove onto the A30 towards Crewkerne, so the police illuminated their blue lights.

“The Audi reached speeds of 100mph in a 50mph limit and then continued through Roundham and into Crewkerne town centre, taking the wrong side of a keep left sign while driving at 55mph in a 30mph zone,” she said.

“It continued to overtake other vehicles through the town centre, some on double white lines, and then approached East Chinnock at speeds of 80mph.

“It overtook more cars with other vehicles coming in the opposite direction and Hotson then raised his hand out of the Audi and stuck his two fingers up at the police.”

The car went through West Coker at 60mph and all four tyres were caught by a police Stinger device which had been placed at the traffic lights.

Despite this Hotson continued driving towards Yeovil and then threw a glass alcohol bottle out of the roof towards the police vehicle and the officers managed to avoid it as it smashed on the road.

The chase continued along West Coker Road in Yeovil at speeds of 60mph across the Quicksilver pub roundabout and then overtook five vehicles before heading towards Yeovil town centre along Queensway and into Princes Street.

“By now it had at least three flat tyres and was travelling slowly through the town with parts of the wheels breaking off,” said Miss Butler.

“It continued onto the Reckleford dual carriageway and turned right into oncoming traffic but was only able to crawl by then.

“It forced its way through several queues of traffic causing damage when it collided with four vehicles.”

Both defendants got out of the car and were chased with Goodes being caught soon after.

Hotson fled the scene towards the rear of the fire station and was eventually detained by an officer and when they were both interviewed separately they refused to make any comments.

Miss Butler added that the incident had involved a prolonged period of dangerous driving with a deliberate disregard for the safety of others and involved excessive speeds and a police pursuit.

The magistrates told Hotson that the charges against him were so serious that their powers of punishment were insufficient to deal with him. As a result they ordered him to be sent to Taunton Crown Court for sentence on March 22.

In the meantime they refused bail and remanded him in custody and requested a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the Probation Service. An interim driving disqualification was also imposed.

The matters against Goodes were adjourned until March 29 when she must return to the court at Yeovil to be sentenced by Somerset Magistrates.

They ordered a similar report to be prepared on her and agreed to released her on bail on condition she lives at her father’s address in Honiton.