THE law finally caught up with 20-year-old man who gave false details and ran away from police by being given a four-month sentence in a young offenders' institution.

Darren Smith, of Fuller Road, Watford, looked horrified when Judge Warner passed the sentence at St Albans Crown Court on Tuesday.

Smith's trouble began back in July 2004 when he was caught trying to steal a motorbike from a home in Bradshaw Way, Watford.

The 18-year-old, as he was then, told police at the station he was Darren Jones and gave a false date of birth. The police believed him and he was released on bail for further questioning, but never returned.

A fingerprint check was done and police discovered his true identity, however he did not come to the attention of officers until he was seen riding a stolen moped more than two years later on October 1, last year.

After a chase Smith crashed and was arrested. This time he gave police the name of his brother, Mark.

Smith was taken to Watford General Hospital for treatment to his injured hand and took the chance to escape.

While a female officer, who had accompanied him outside to have a cigarette, was distracted Smith ran off. He was arrested three days later at his home address.

By this time he had racked up two offences of perverting the course of justice for giving false details and escaping from lawful custody, as well as the original offence of attempted theft of the moped.

He had, however, remained out of trouble since a nine-month referral order as a juvenile, and Harriet Seal, defending, asked Judge Warner to impose a suspended prison sentence for his "foolish acts" in trying to evade the police.

She said he had been in work since leaving school and had a young child with his partner. The court was told he would lose his job if he went to prison, and his grandmother was ill in hospital.

However Judge Warner said custody was the only option, but that he had made it as "short as possible".