Three teenagers were caught running from the stolen Fiat Multipla..

However, because of problems in identifying who was actually driving the vehicle, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped the case.

Sue Aldred, manager of the Camelia Botnar Children's Centre in Wellesley Avenue, from where the car was stolen overnight on Thursday, June 19, has branded the decision "ludicrous".

Ridiculous

She added: "It's absolutely ridiculous.

"We didn't give any of these people permission to be in our car so how can they drop the case?

"Even worse is that it's cost us £117 to get the car back from the pound where it was being kept.

"We may not even use it again now because we've been so put off by all the problems and the costs involved with driving."

Cash crisis

The centre was hit by a cash crisis two years ago when the foundation that funds it slashed its annual budget in half.

Since then, it has struggled to cut costs and has axed the minibus service it provided to transport severely disabled children to and from the centre.

The car was the last vehicle the centre had, but Sue said they will probably go without transportation now.

She said: "It leaves you thinking 'what's the point?'.

"The children transported in the car have now found alternative ways to get here, so we don't think we'll spend the money on the car any more.

Teaching children

"We spend our time teaching children right from wrong, so it's frustrating when people are caught doing wrong and they're not punished."

PC Darren Milledge, who investigated the case, confirmed that two males and one female, aged between 16 and 18, were arrested in connection with the offence.

He said that because eyewitnesses could not place the driver in the driver's seat, the CPS had insufficient evidence to prosecute at this time.

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