A PROLIFIC crook who took a neighbour's car with a teenager as his passenger, ended up driving without tyres as he had hit the kerb so many times, a court heard.

David Dickson, 21, had spotted some keys in a door on Inkerman Street, Bacup, stole them and drove off in the Renault Scenic in the early hours, last October.

The vehicle was making so much noise as it ran on the rims of the alloy wheels, it attracted the attention of the police and they stopped it. Both Dickson and the teenager ran off but were later caught and arrested.

Dickson, who has 41 offences on his record, and the teenager, who a judge ordered should not be named, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, at Burnley Crown Court. Dickson also pleaded guilty to theft.

Dickson, of Inkerman Street, Bacup, was given an eight-month jail term, but has already served it on remand. His co-defendant, also from Bacup, received a youth rehabilitation order, with 12 months supervision, a 12-week curfew between 9pm and 7am and 24 hours at an attendance centre. Both were banned for 12 months.

Judge Jonathan Gibson also made Dickson the subject of a two-year anti-social behaviour order, under which he is banned from entering Springfield Avenue and Hammerton Green, Bacup, and nearby alleyways and gardens.

Jonathan Archer, prosecuting, said the car's owner went to bed at 10pm and the vehicle was in the driveway.

At around 4am, a neighbour heard two men talking and saying : "Are we going to steal it ? We can't leave it here." She then saw the vehicle being driven away.

Mr Archer said the car was then seen at about 4.15am, when a police officer saw it going down St James Street into Burnley Road, Bacup, without tyres. The defendants ran off, but were caught. Dickson made no comment when arrested. The teenager made admissions.

Mark Stuart, for Dickson, said : "He has a fairly appalling record for somebody his age, including non-compliance with a number of community orders made on him in the past."

He added: "It was a spur-of-the-moment offence. The defendant accepts he drove the vehicle and as a result there was some damage."