WATCH as Mansfield burglar leads police on high-speed chase through Kirkby

The occupants of a house on Stoneleigh Close, Mansfield, rang 999 when they heard noises downstairs and realised their white Audi had been stolen off the drive, on July 25.

Nottingham Crown Court heard police spotted the car on Westfield Lane at 3.25am with James Clarke at the wheel and when they tried to block it in he reversed into parked cars and a garden wall.

Aaron Dinnes, prosecuting, said 41-year-old Clarke ran off, but was stopped. A stolen iPad and a handbag were found in the car.

The court heard he was on bail for a string of offences at the time.

On June 17, at 6.35pm, another white Audi, wanted in relation to burglaries in Derbyshire, was seen on Welbeck Street.

Clarke accelerated away to reach 40mph in a 30mph zone, turned without stopping at a junction and began weaving in and out of traffic at 60mph, causing other vehicles to take evasive action.

He tried to escape on foot by hopping over gardens and was arrested trying to scale a fence.

Mr Dinnes said he has 18 previous convictions for 60 offences, but was last in court for blackmail and burglary in 2010, when he received 30 months in prison.

Clarke, of no fixed address, admitted burglary, two counts of dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking.

Sinjin Bulbring, mitigating, said Clarke has used his time on remand well by working in waste management.

He said there was a gap in his offending of 10 years, but he relapsed into class A drugs following the death of his mother in 2020.

He began taking crack cocaine, at first working to support his habit before turning to his savings and selling his assets, said Mr Bulbring.

His return to offending led to the end of relationship and the loss of a well-paid job, the court heard.

Sentencing, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC told Clarke: “Yours is an unfortunate case because you have demonstrated that for many years you can lead a law-abiding life.”

Clarke was jailed for three years and banned from driving for 30 months.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable David Smith said: “Clarke’s mindless behaviour could have had fatal consequences.

“On both occasions, it was a foolish attempt to evade capture and our officers did a fantastic job to arrest him without anyone being seriously hurt.

“Burglary, theft of a car and driving offences are taken very seriously by Nottinghamshire Police and we will always take appropriate action against those found to be committing such offences.”