A TALENTED teenager was has been warned he is on the road to ruining his life after an inexplicable week-long crime spree.

Rustam Utegenov took his mother's car from their home in Darlington last month and was stopped by police north of the border.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the 18-year-old college student also stole his step-father's £3,000 Omega watch and sold it.

After appearing in court in Scotland, the learner driver returned to the North-East – and took his uncle's car for a joyride.

Utegenov was followed by police from the A68 to Bishop Auckland where he finally reached a dead-end and crashed into a fence.

Before the collision, he went the wrong way around a roundabout in the Mercedes and passed a traffic island on the wrong side.

During Monday's (September 8) hearing, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC told him: "You are obviously a young man of some intelligence and you should have the intelligence to know that that which you are doing is starting to ruin your life.

"The consequences are that you have lost the opportunity of a job, and you are now on the threshold of losing your family. They can't stand you carrying on like this, and won't put up with it for much longer.

"I don't know what is at the bottom of it, and I don't really need to. My job now is to make sure the best is done for you and the public."

Utegenov, of Merrybent, Darlington, was banned from driving for three years, and was given an 11-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Judge Bourne-Arton also imposed an electronic tag curfew for three months between 8pm and 7am, and ordered the teenager to undergo supervision.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, two charges of theft and having no licence or insurance. Charges arising from the taking of his mother's car will be dealt with in Scotland.

Yvonne Taylor, mitigating, said Utegenov cannot explain why he embarked on the crime spree, but said his family – who were in court for support – were "immensely upset".

Miss Taylor told the court: "He just feels there was a period of time when his whole mind was out of control. He has no rhyme or reason why.

"He accepts responsibility for his behaviour, and tells me he is extremely sorry."