A NOVICE driver who crashed his car and injured two teenage passengers may have been showing off after passing his test, a court heard.

Luke Salvin lost control of his Vauxhall Corsa on a bend on a military road after ignoring “no entry” signs at an Army base in March.

The 18-year-old apprentice, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, was spared a prison sentence, but was banned from the roads for three months.

Judge Peter Armstrong, at Teesside Crown Court, also ordered him to pay £250 costs and carry out 120 hours of unpaid work for the community.

He told he teenager at Friday’s hearing: “It is more good luck than good management that these two young ladies in the back were not more seriously injured.”

The court heard how Salvin and his friends had been to a McDonald’s restaurant before the accident on the Army base at Catterick.

He drove onto an unclassified road, known locally as the Tank Road, despite the warning signs, prosecutor Nigel Soppitt told the hearing.

Mr Soppitt said he drove “too fast” on the hardcore track, lost control on a corner and flipped the hatchback over two times.

His front seat passenger escaped unhurt, but the girls in the back suffered whiplash injuries and were taken to hospital.

In impact statements, they said they were still having pain six months on, and were wary about getting into cars with young people.

Eric Watson, mitigating, said the road surface helped cause the accident, and said: “This was certainly a lucky state of affairs.”

He added: “Perhaps the speed at which the vehicle was travelling, and the defendant’s lack of driving experience contributed to such an extent that he may well have been able to negotiate the bend if it was on a Tarmac road.”

Salvin, of Stanley Grove, Richmond, admitted two charges of causing bodily harm by furious or wanton driving on March 18.

The judge told him: “This was a foolish escapade by a young man with no previous convictions.

“From what I’ve read about you, you are a responsible young man normally.

“Whether there is an element of showing off or bravado I don’t know, but driving onto the Tank Road at Catterick Garrison, you drove around a bend too fast for the conditions.

“It is fortunate no-one was not more injured or killed.”