A 16-YEAR-OLD YOUTH was pursued through the centre of Cowdenbeath by police with sirens and blue lights activated when he was still not old enough to drive.

The teenager sped off after seeing the cops and drove through built-up areas at 50mph on the wrong side of the road.

He was nabbed by the officers when he finally stopped and tried to make a run for it.

The youth, now aged 17, lives in Cowdenbeath and cannot be named for legal reasons.

He appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and admitted that on June 29, in Pit Road and Centenary Place, Cowdenbeath, he drove while under the age to hold a driving licence and drove without insurance.

He also admitted that he drove a car dangerously, refused to stop when signalled to do so by police, repeatedly failed to indicate at junctions, drove at excessive speeds of up to 50 mph in a built-up area, straddled both carriageways, drove on the opposing carriageway and repeatedly braked harshly when negotiating a bend.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said that at around midnight, police received a call about a 16-year-old male driving a Renault Clio behind Cowdenbeath swimming pool.

Police officers on patrol found the vehicle being driven towards Pit Road. It sped off and police activated their blue lights.

“The accused continued to accelerate and it became clear he wasn’t going to stop,” added Ms Yousaf.

The police continued the pursuit with sirens and blue lights activated but the youth went through the town at 50mph, made turns with no signals and drove up the middle of the road straddling both carriageways.

The depute said at one point he drove on the wrong side of the road. He was caught when he tried to get out the car.

Defence solicitor Barbara Collie said her client “panicked” when he saw the police.

She added: “He accepts his behaviour may have caused an accident and describes it as ‘stupidity’ himself.”

Sheriff Alison McKay said: “This was an atrocious piece of driving. It put you in danger, the public in danger and also the police in danger. You should not even have been on the road.”

She imposed a community payback order with 134 hours of unpaid work. The youth was also banned from driving for two years and will have to sit the extended driving test.