A drug addict who stole a bread delivery van, crashed into three cars and then escaped police custody was sentenced to two years in jail and had his driving licence suspended for a year.

Aaron Axisa, 30, from Għaxaq, took the van belonging to Maypole bakery on March 19 at about 6am in Fgura only to crash into three cars before he was arrested.

While in custody, he managed to escape but was caught a short time later in possession of a taser gun and a weighing scale.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia pointed out that Mr Axisa had committed the crime while on bail. He had been given a number of chances to reform and it did seem that he wanted to rehabilitate himself, the court said.

The magistrate said he wanted to send the message that whoever was found guilty of theft, escaping custody and breaching bail conditions while relapsing would be jailed unless there were special circumstances that merited otherwise.