A YOUNG motorist was involved in a near head-on collision just half an hour after buying a car, a court heard.

Mark Thornton, then 21, attempted to overtake a friend's car on a sweeping right hand bend, on the A177 at Maiden Castle, near Durham, but found himself in the path of an oncoming Audi A3.

Despite attempting to brake and take avoiding action, Thornton's Rover Metro and the Audi crashed offside to offside, Durham Crown Court was told.

The Audi driver, a retired man with 46 years of driving experience, suffered chest, facial and neck injuries, and has an ongoing knee problem as a result of the accident.

Kristian Mills, prosecuting, said the worst injuries were suffered by Thornton, who sustained fractures to his pelvis and leg, for which he had to have pins inserted.

Passengers in both cars suffered only minor injuries.

Although the accident was in November, 2004, Thornton was only interviewed by police in January last year, due to his injuries.

Mr Mills said Thornton accepted he was probably going at between 45 and 50-miles-per-hour, on a road with a 40mph-limit, but denied deliberately overtaking his friend's car.

He said the back end of his car went out of control.

Thornton, now 23, of The Grove, Coxhoe, near Durham, admitted dangerous driving and no insurance.

The court heard he had only passed his driving test six weeks previously, and bought the car for £100 just 30 minutes before the accident.

Anne Haugstad, in mitigation, said: "It appears the vehicle was defective and the defendant was unable to take any avoiding action to prevent the collision once he undertook the overtaking manoeuvre."

She said it was Thornton's only motoring offence and he was the worst injured of all the people involved.

Judge George Moorhouse told Thornton: "This was a serious accident and could have led to the death of several people.

"But I'm satisfied that car appears to have been defective at the time, and I take into account you sustained serious injuries.

"In those exceptional circumstances I'm able to suspend a prison sentence."

He imposed a six-month sentence suspended for two years and banned Thornton from driving for two years.