A Polish chef who stole a car while drunk and was caught by the police after a brief chase was yesterday handed a suspended jail term and fined €2,300.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard that the police intervened after a row Michal Nowak Lukasz, 33, had with his sister, who lives in Malta.

When officers arrived, he fled the scene, boarded a Peugeot and drove off. With the police in hot pursuit, he was involved in a traffic accident before being arrested.

Mr Lukasz pleaded guilty to stealing the vehicle, which was parked in a garage in St Paul’s Street, St Paul’s Bay, damaging it, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without a licence or insurance cover and being drunk and incapable of taking care of himself.

Mr Lukasz paid €350 for the damage caused to the car.

Magistrate Scerri Herrera noted that he was a first-time offender and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. She sentenced him to one year in jail suspended for three and fined him €2,300.

Police Inspector Godwin Scerri prosecuted.

Lawyer Joseph Mizzi appeared for Mr Lukasz.

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