Hit-And-Run Victim Spotted Car Thief Singing On The X Factor

Hit-And-Run Victim Spotted Car Thief Singing On The X Factor

A car thief was brought to justice after her victim spotted her on TV - singing on the X Factor!

Paige Flaherty stole a pink Mini from outside a house in Jarrow, South Tyneside, and drove to Newcastle where she collided with Chris Brown at a pelican crossing.

Mr Brown, who was left bruised, ended up with the wrong details for Flaherty after the accident and thought that would be the last he, or the police, saw of her.

But the 19-year-old, who was a member of girl band 'Twisted', was arrested when Mr Brown spotted her on the TV talent show.

At Newcastle Crown Court, Flaherty, of Jarrow, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and driving with no insurance on August 29, 2011.

Flaherty, who has never been in trouble before, will be sentenced in April after the preparation of probation and medical reports.

Judge Esmond Faulks granted her bail in the meantime and did not give any indication of what the sentence would be.

Jeanette Smith who prosecuted the case during an earlier hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court, said the victim claimed he realised it was Flaherty who had hit him after he saw her on the television show.

She added: "He had been trying to get in touch with her by text message, but it became clear she had given him the wrong details.

"Then, weeks later, he saw the defendant auditioning on X Factor and thought it was the same person, and got in touch with the police."

Flaherty's band 'Twisted' hit the headlines after the X-Factor judge Kelly Rowland told band member Chrissie Pitt, from South Shields, to ditch the rest of the band and continue as a solo artist.

Chrissie chose to leave the girl group, leaving the other members furious and out of the competition

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