A CAR thief who stole to order has been jailed after leading police on a high-speed chase.

David Suter, 25, managed to evade officers for 15 miles before crashing into a wall and breaking his wrist as he tried to escape.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard the former HGV mechanic had stolen a Ford Transit van in a bid to clear a £1,000 debt.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at an earlier hearing, with sentence being deferred for background reports.

And when Suter returned to the dock to learn his fate, procurator fiscal depute Hazel Emmerson told how the police pursuit on February 8 this year had started in Renfrewshire and continued all the way to East Renfrewshire.

It was stated that officers had tailed Suter from the outskirts of Houston, through Kilbarchan and on to Uplawmoor before he crashed.

Suter, of Paisley, hit other cars, nearly ploughed into pedestrians and drove the wrong way at a roundabout as he sped through built-up areas.

He sat in the dock with his arm in a cast due to the broken wrist he suffered while bailing out of the wrecked van.

Defence solicitor Terry Gallanagh said Suter knew he was guilty of “a litany of horrendous driving.”

The lawyer added: “The accused had significant debt and was offered £1,000 if he picked up this van.

“The sirens went on and he contacted the person who made the offer. He [the criminal who offered him the money] told him [Suter] he was on his own and it became apparent he was in trouble.

“He considers his conduct horrendous. He hates himself and, somewhat perversely, his terror of going to jail has brought him right to the door.

“David Suter recognises his driving was absolutely ridiculous.”

Mr Gallanagh asked for his client to be spared a prison sentence, telling the court that Suter had taken on the care of his girlfriend’s three-year-old child since they got together 18 months ago.

However, Sheriff Susan Sinclair ruled there was only one way she could deal with Suter.

She jailed him for six months, reduced from eight as he had admitted his guilt.

Sheriff Sinclair also banned him from driving for the next five years and ordered him to sit and pass the extended test before he gets behind the wheel again.