... back behind bars (From Warrington Guardian)

... back behind bars

5:17pm Thursday 13th September 2007

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TWO convicted burglars who escaped from a Warrington prison then went on a high-speed police chase across three counties are back behind bars.

Mark Wilkinson and Shane Appleton, both aged 20, were serving time for burglary at Thorn Cross Young Offenders' Institution when they escaped just after midnight on August 27 and went on a 60-mile police chase across Cheshire, Manchester and Leeds.

On Friday, Warrington Crown Court heard the two men, who have a string of previous convictions, tried to burgle a house in Hatton Lane then burgled a house in Goose Lane, Hatton, stealing two mobile phones, £30 cash, bank cards and cheque books and keys to a Ford Focus.

At around 6am, having broken into another house, stolen a mobile phone and the keys to a Toyota Yaris, the high-speed drama began.

David Jones, prosecuting, said police pursued the men after seeing Appleton undercutting another car while joining the M62.

He said: "What followed was effectively a chase from Junction 9, the length of the M62, going through Greater Manchester, involving Greater Manchester Police and entering into Yorkshire.

"It is fortunate it was the bank holiday weekend. Had there been work traffic on the road, matters could have been much worse."

At points Appleton drove at speeds in excess of 100mph on the motorway, 90mph in residential areas, speeding though red lights and blind junctions.

A rolling police block failed to stop them and the men, both from Leeds, finally came to a stop after crashing into a fence Nasra Butt, defending, said the men regretted their actions.

She said: "They made a snap decision to escape. Their judgement was questionable."

Sentencing, Judge Nicholas Woodward said: "Clearly, the risk of causing injury to others was very substantial."

Appleton was sentenced to two and a half years for escaping lawful custody, burglary, taking a motor vehicle without consent, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and banned from driving for five years.

Wikinson was sentenced for two and a half years for escape from lawful custody, burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

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