Burglar found asleep in stolen BMW he had taken from outside a Halesowen home

Haytham Muflahi broke into a house in Halesowen where he took the keys to the expensive 4 Series.

The 19 year old, of no fixed address, then went about trashing it with his friends during the night, a court heard.

A member of the public reported a group of youths fleeing the BMW in the Blackheath area the next morning and police recovered the severely damaged car with Muflahi asleep inside.

His DNA was recovered from a window at the home in Summerfields Avenue, Hurst Green, which he targeted on September 17.

At a court hearing two days later, Muflahi pleaded guilty to burglary and has now been spared time in detention after being sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Speaking in his defence Stephen Cadwaladr claimed the teenager had gone 'off the rails' since trying to contact his biological mother last year.

He told the court: "Prior to a period of bad behaviour this year, he has never been in trouble.

"His father recognises the problems that have caused him to go off the rails.

"He has had difficulty trying to contact his biological mother, he saw her last year but felt she wouldn't have bothered to come and see him at all only for the fact she visited the Midlands for another reason. "This has affected him."

Judge Simon Ward showed little sympathy whilst passing sentence but, nevertheless, decided not to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

Judge Ward sentenced Muflahi to eight months at a young offender institute suspended for two years.

The teenager appeared via video-link from HMP Brinsford.

He will also have an electronic tag fitted to make sure he adheres to a 12-week curfew, which means he has to be at home between 9pm and 6am.

Muflahi must also carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and attend a 21-day rehabilitation activity course.