THREE teenagers who ran over a police officer while attempting to flee the scene of a burglary at a car dealership have been jailed.

Adam Mohammed, 18, and two 16-year-olds who cannot be named for legal reasons were each sentenced to 10 months in a young offenders institute on Thursday, November 9, following the break-in at Warrington Audi in Westbrook.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the trio had travelled from their homes in the Bradford area pm Friday, August 25, in order to steal onboard computers from Audi TT cars on the forecourt of the Charon Way dealership - valued at £3,600 each.

The teenagers smashed the front windows of three such vehicles - causing £1,588 of damage - before police were called to the scene shortly after 9pm.

Upon seeing the attending officer, Mohammed and the two 16-year-olds got into a silver Volkswagen Bora which was driven off at high speed in the policeman's direction.

When the officer drew his baton, the car swerved towards him and struck his left leg.

The policeman was taken to hospital with an injury to his coccyx, while the car - later discovered to be stolen and driven with cloned number plates - was found nearby in Gemini Retail Park.

Mohammed and his co-defendants were then located at around 10pm in woodland near to Burtonwood Services with the assistance of a police helicopter.

The Crown Prosecution Service was unable to establish who was driving the car during the incident.

Two onboard computers taken from the cars were recovered from the forecourt of the dealership.

At the time of the offence, the two 16-year-old were on bail for a similar burglary less than two weeks earlier at another Audi garage in Stockport.

Mohammed's defence barrister Julian King told the court that his client, who has one previous conviction for possession of an offensive weapon, intended to enrol on a mechanics course if he was spared a jail sentence.

Mr King said: "The recent choices he has made have been poor, but my client wishes to stop this behaviour and move forward in a more focussed way.

"Custody is a clear option, but this is a young man who is taking positive steps in his life who can still prove to make a constructive and positive contribution to society."

All three defendants admitted conspiring to commit a burglary and were jailed for 10 months each.

Sentencing, his honour judge Robert Warnock said: "The offence itself was relatively sophisticated and focused.

"You targeted Audi dealerships for the multimedia units from Audi TT cars - expensive and sophisticated equipment.

"The damage to the vehicles was substantial but your conduct to this officer following the event was quite frankly disgraceful.

"I've come to the conclusion that custody is the only appropriate way forward."