A TEENAGER who was unlicensed, uninsured and over the drink drive limit crashed his mum’s car after taking it without permission then tried to lie to police.
Thomas May, of Gateacre Drive, Astwood Bank, was handed a 17-month driving ban and ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work and pay £345 in costs, fines and a victim surcharge.
The 18-year-old appeared at Redditch Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (January 6) and admitted the offences as well as obstructing a police officer.
The court heard on December 14, 2014, May had been to his friend’s house and had a drink before returning home and deciding to take his mother’s black Range Rover for a drive.
He claimed he did not know where he was going or how the accident happened.
Prosecuting, Clare Linehan said May had crashed into a fence on Western Hill Close causing damage to the vehicle and the air bags to go off.
Ms Linehan said May left the scene but witnesses reported the incident to police, and as they were on the way to his home they received a call from the teenager claiming the vehicle had been stolen and the keys were missing.
The court heard May had told the police he had chased after the car and saw it crash. But, after his story did not add up, the police spoke to his mum and he then openly admitted to her, and in front of officers, he was responsible for the smash.
Defending, Richard Hull said May had never been in trouble before.
According to his parents it was completely out of character for their son, who had left school at 16 with good results.
Mr Hull said May, who is training to become a roofer, had recently split up with his long-term girlfriend and had started to go out with friends more instead of staying in and admitted he had begun to drink too much.
Mr Hull added May’s original intention was to mislead his parents not the police but when his mum told him he needed to call officers he became caught up in his own lies.
He said May had made an awful mistake he deeply regretted and apologised to his parents, neighbours and the court.
Magistrate Richard Poppleton told May: “This is a lesson you have learnt early on, thankfully by not killing anybody.”
