A GRANDSON has been banned from contacting his elderly grandparents in any way after he twice stole from their house.

The couple, aged 80 and 70, told police they had cared for John Lee Johnstone all his life but "we have had enough of his behaviour and actions", York Crown Court sitting in Leeds heard.

Becky Jane, prosecuting, said Johnstone, 27, stole their car key and drove off in their car, ignoring their protests, saying that he intended to crash it at high speed and kill himself.

He was arrested after a police chase through Selby at up to twice the 30 mph speed limit.

His grandparents had told him not to come to their house after he had stolen £40 in notes from his grandmother’s purse the day before.

Judge Simon Hickey banned Johnstone from contacting his grandparents or going to their street for five years.

The judge said the thefts were “very mean and despicable offences.”

Johnstone, of Bryer Cliffe, Brayton, pleaded guilty to theft of the couple’s car key, theft of the money, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and without a licence, taking a vehicle without consent and drug driving.

He was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for a year on condition he does 10 days’ rehabilitation activities and was ordered to pay £40 compensation to his grandmother.

He was also banned from driving for two and a half years and ordered to take an extended driving test before driving alone again.

For him, Mark Partridge said Johnstone struggled with his mental health.