THREE teens from Birkenhead have been jailed for eight years and one month after driving on the wrong side of the M53 during a police chase in August last year.

Merseyside Police were received a report that just after 2am on Wednesday, August 22 a Peugeot 3008 car had been stolen from a property on Durban Road, Wallasey.

The car was then spotted on Bebington Road and at around 4.30am a chase was undertaken involving officers from Merseyside Police, North West motorways policing Group and a National Police Air Service helicopter.

After a chase which the offenders drove the wrong way on the M53 and narrowly missed crashing into oncoming vehicles.

The car was then stopped police on the motorway using a stop stick at 5.30am.

Three teenagers were arrested and later charged with burglary and theft of the car. They were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, March 22.

Charlie Farragher, 19, of Vittoria Street was jailed for three years, nine months for burglary, aggravated unauthorised taking of a car and breach of suspended sentence. He was also sentenced for a burglary on 18 August, 2018 in which a vehicle was stolen, and a making off without payment offence.

He has been disqualified from driving for two years, 11 months.

Wirral Globe: (Left to right) John Hodgin, Joseph Farrell and Charlie Farragher (Merseyside Police)(Left to right) John Hodgin, Joseph Farrell and Charlie Farragher (Merseyside Police)

Joseph Francis Farrell, 18, of Cathcart Street, was jailed for one year, nine months for burglary, aggravated unauthorised taking of a car and has been disqualified from driving for two years, one month.

John Hodgin, 19, of Tapestry Gardens, was jailed for two years, seven months for burglary and aggravated unauthorised taking of car. He was disqualified from driving for two years, nine months

Detective inspector Andy McCourt said: “The way this stolen car was driven at speed and in the wrong direction on a motorway could have left an innocent motorist, passenger or the offenders themselves seriously injured, or even worse.

“Thanks to the professionalism of our officers, the incident was brought to a safe conclusion and because they were apprehended that night, the three offenders will now spend a long time in prison where I hope they will reflect upon their actions.

“We welcome the fact they are behind bars, where they belong, and I hope the efforts of our officers that night show how seriously Merseyside Police takes burglary.

“It is not a victimless offence, it has a massive and lasting effect on victims and we will do everything in our power to trace those responsible and bring them to justice, as we have done here.”

The National Police Air Service helicopter was deployed from Barton; one of 14 NPAS bases providing borderless air support to police forces in England and Wales.

Steve Jones, National Police Air Service assistant operations director in the North West told the Globe: "When one of our helicopters is above a pursuit, we’re giving police on the ground an aerial view of what’s happening.

"That allows us to collectively manage what is a high risk situation.

"We’re pleased to have supported Merseyside Police to help bring this incident to a safe conclusion."

Anyone with information on suspected burglary or the storage of suspected stolen items is asked to contact Merseyside Police dedicated hotline and email address on 0151 777 7926 or email operation.castle@merseyside.pnn.police.uk.