A DISQUALIFIED driver crashed his father's car and then fled the scene of the accident, a court heard.

Mechanic Mark Alexander Hill, 41, of Sherburn Village, appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe on charges of failing to report an accident, failing to stop following an accident, driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

Laura Lax, prosecuting, said Hill crashed with a witness, who banged her head off the windscreen in the collision.

He asked her not to call the police but she did so and he drove down the road, parked up, abandoned the car and left the scene.

Officers found the Seat Alhambra down the road, which was branded with a Radiator Covers by Ken Hill sign.

She said: "When police spoke to Ken Hill he said he had dropped it off at his son's garage for work to be carried out." Mark Hill later admitted he had been driving at the time.

The witness said she was driving to the crossroads at the entrance to Sherburn Hill, Durham, when she heard a loud bang.

Ms Lax said Hill had numerous previous driving convictions, including one for dangerous driving.

David Malone, mitigating on behalf of Hill, said he had 'very foolishly' decided to drive the vehicle to and from the garage to fix his father's car, before colliding with the witness' car after not seeing it over the brow of the hill.

Magistrates disqualified him for a further 12 months, gave him a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work and ordered him to pay £107 fine, a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs.