A COPPER thief who broke into a recycling plant, escaped in a colleague’s stolen car and rampaged through the Cheshire countryside has been locked up for 15 months.

Jason Elson, 20, of Princes Road, Ellesmere Port, broke into Sims Recycling Solutions, South Road, Ellesmere Port, where he was employed as a labourer, to steal the metal from recycled computer monitors and television screens.

After gaining entry through the canteen window, Elson and a friend took a Fiat Coupé from the car park and sped across the county to Alford at speeds of more than 70mph, going the wrong way around a roundabout and eventually crashing into a bridge in a desperate bid to evade police.

Speaking at Chester Crown Court on Monday, Martin McRobb, prosecuting, said: “They were first seen near the M56 at Helsby driving dangerously.

“They failed to stop for a number of marked and unmarked police cars and went the wrong way around a roundabout at Helsby, erratically weaving across the dual carriageway towards the village.”

The pair continued on their rampage reaching speeds of more than 70mph, driving down the middle of the A56 to Vicars Cross and forcing oncoming traffic to take evasive action.

“The dangerous driving came to a halt when they collided with a sandstone bridge in Aldford, writing the car off and causing considerable damage to the bridge,” added Mr McRobb.

Elson, who cannot drive but steered the car and worked the pedals while his friend changed gears, was more than twice the legal limit during the chase.

Adrian Evans, defending, said: “He accepts the bane of his life is his misuse of alcohol.

“He is determined to tackle it once and for all.”

Judge Elgan Edwards sentenced Elson, who pleaded guilty to all six charges, to 15 months in a young offenders institute for burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and for driving with excess alcohol.