A MAN caught with a stolen car belonging to a Brierley Hill firm has avoided a prison sentence.

The £14,000 Vauxhall was taken from outside the Dudley home of a J.Barnsley Cranes employee, Christopher O'Gorman, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Police stopped the vehicle in Shifnal after the tracking device was activated.

Christopher Orme, of Coalport Road, Madeley, Shropshire, admitted handling stolen property and he was given a 13 month jail term, suspended for two years.

The 24-year-old who has a string of previous convictions for offences including the taking of cars, was ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work in the community.

Judge Nicholas Webb also made Orme the subject of a 12 month supervision order and told him he must obey a four month curfew between the hours of 7pm and 5am.

At an earlier hearing Carl Rogers, aged 25, of Acocks Green, Birmingham, was also given a suspended prison sentence after he admitted a charge of handling the stolen vehicle