A yob has avoided a custodial sentence despite admitting a staggering 36 offences – including a terrifying police chase called off on safety grounds.
Ellis Leisk, 20, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on four separate indictments, containing a total of three dozen individual charges.
A police chase was sparked on January 25 when Leisk was seen driving a blue Subaru estate car “erratically” in the Garthdee Road area, before failing to stop for police Anderson Drive.
He then sped across the city at up to 50mph in residential areas, cutting across grassy areas and even driving on pavements.
A pedestrian had to take evasive action at one point, and Leisk smashed into another vehicle before officers had to abandon the chase over safety fears.
Leisk was banned from driving for two years
Sniffer dogs were then brought to help track the teen down and he was arrested.
He pled guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving while only the holder of a provisional licence and without insurance, and failing to stop and provide his details following an accident.
Leisk also admitted a string of offences from January 24 and 25 in the early hours of the morning before the pursuit.
He pled guilty to stealing fuel from a service station on North Anderson Drive, driving without insurance, stealing a vehicle on Stoker Road, Cruden Bay, and attempted housebreaking with intent to steal, also on Stoker Road.
Leisk further admitted housebreaking with intent to steal in Ellon and stealing a wallet from an insecure vehicle in Newburgh.
He also admitted breaching a curfew and failing to give police information as to the identification of the driver.
‘The report is unusually positive’
In three separate indictments, Leisk, of Montrose Drive, Aberdeen, also admitted:
- Driving while only holding a provisional licence on March 25 2020.
- Driving without insurance on the same date.
- Careless driving on the same date.
- Driving while only holding a provisional licence on May 4 2020.
- Driving without insurance on the same date.
- Dangerous driving on the same date.
- Culpable and reckless conduct on the same date.
- Attempted housebreaking with intent to steal on August 15 2020.
- Attempted theft of a vehicle on the same date.
- Attempted theft of another vehicle on the same date.
- Attempted theft of a third vehicle on the same date.
- A second attempted housebreaking with intent to steal on the same date.
- Being found in a property in circumstances that it may be inferred he intended to commit theft on January 13 2021.
- Theft on January 14 2021.
- Theft of a vehicle on January 15 2021.
- Driving while only holding a provisional licence on the same day.
- Driving without insurance on the same date.
- Failing to stop and provide details following an accident on the same date.
- Theft of a vehicle on January 20 2021.
- Theft from a vehicle on the same date.
- Driving without insurance on the same date.
- Driving while only holding a provisional licence on the same date.
- Theft by housebreaking on the same date.
- Theft from a vehicle on the same date.
Defence agent Iain Hingston said: “I’m not going to go into the offences in any meaningful way because I don’t think that’s either necessary or going to assist anybody.”
Referring to court-ordered social work reports, Mr Hingston said: “I’m really quite heartened and surprised to see the general level of responsibility and insight that comes through that report.
“What we’ve got here is somebody who has spent a considerable period in custody so far and is clearly learning exactly the kind of lessons the criminal justice system would want him to learn.
“The report is unusually positive for a man of 20 years of age with the kind of offending we’re talking about.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Leisk: “On balance, I must say I feel the better course for you and, more importantly, for the community in general, is for the court, despite the number and nature of these offences, to impose community-based orders.”
He ordered Leisk to be supervised for two years, and gave him a 10-month curfew and two-year driving ban as an alternative to custody.
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