Three teenagers who fled a take-away restaurant without paying instead paid a very high price indeed and died in a car crash, a court has heard.

Prosecutors said that a member of staff from the take-away was pursuing the three 15-year-old boys and the 18-year-old driver when their car hit a tree, near Halstead, in May last year.

Emergency crews were scrambled to the A131 between Halstead in Essex and Sudbury in Suffolk.

However, Christopher Jolley, of Little Maplestead, Danny Archer, of Sible Hedingham, and Richard Warren, Of Halstead, were all pronounced dead at the scene.

The boys had all been students at Hedingham School in Halstead.

Chairman of Governors, Miles Scrivens said at the time of the deaths "any loss of life of people so young is tragic".

Eighteen-year-old Christopher Kibble, who survived the smash, was the driver of the Ford Escort, and take-away worker Sakir Olgun, 27, who was chasing them in another car, each deny causing death by dangerous driving.

Prosecuting, Christopher Paxton told Chelmford Crown Court that both Mr Kibble and Mr Olgun were responsible for their deaths.

Danny's parents Philip and Rosanne, of Sparrow Close, Sible Hedingham said their son was known as a "big, loveable giant by everybody".

Chrisopher's father, Patrick said "Chris's easy charm and sense of fun made him instantly likeable".

Richard, known as Ric to his friends, was an Ipswich Town FC football fan. In a moving tribute to him, his his girlfriend wrote on his Bebo page that she would "will always love" him.

(DS)