A teenager who moved to Sussex to escape a life of crime in London found himself jailed after trying to escape justice.

Steven Tucker, 18, was on bail waiting to appear at the Central Criminal Court in the capital on a charge of aggravated vehicle taking, when he tried to escape from a police officer who had arrested him in Eastbourne on suspicion of theft.

The youngster had moved in with his uncle in Kingfisher Drive, Eastbourne, to escape from a life of crime in London when he found himself in trouble again.

Tucker had spent the day in an Eastbourne pub where he had drunk about eight pints on November 30, last year. At about 6.15pm, police officers arrived in the area following a call to the Iceland store in the Langney area after the report of a theft.

The officers were scouring the area for three youths when they came across Tucker in an intoxicated state.

Tucker had left the pub after spotting a female officer entering the building. Some of the friends he had been with had been smoking cannabis and he feared he could be arrested.

As he left the pub he was arrested by another officer. he was handcuffed and placed in a police vehicle to be taken to the police station in connection with the theft at Iceland. However, while the officers spoke to other youths, Tucker, who works on markets with his uncle three days a week, tried to escape from the police car.

He was quickly recaptured and spat in the officer's face telling him: "I'm going to knock you out. I'm going to smash you up."

The officer used pepper spray on Tucker, who was taken to the police station and charged with attempting to escape and resisting arrest. Tucker pleaded guilty to the charge but denied a charge of assault on the police officer.

Judge Charles Kemp at Lewes Crown Court yesterday instructed the charge of assault to lie on file.

He sentenced Tucker to four months in youth custody for attempting to escape and resisting arrest.

The court heard Tucker is currently serving an eight month sentence for aggravated vehicle taking, which was handed to him at the Central Criminal Court in London last month.

Judge Kemp told Tucker he would serve the sentences consecutively adding: "Your behaviour was disgraceful."

He told Tucker he had blown his attempt at starting a new life in Eastbourne, away from crime in London.