A TEENAGER crashed and flipped his mam’s Volkswagen Golf in the middle of a residential street after hitting a parked car, a court has heard.

The 16-year-old had been drinking before he got behind the wheel of his mother’s car, without her permission, and crashed after driving a short distance.

Pleading guilty to four motoring offences at Newton Aycliffe Youth Court on Friday, the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “I would like to say how sorry I am to the victims of the crash, I want everyone to know it was out of character. I will better myself and learn from my mistakes.”

Emma Cruickshank, prosecuting, said emergency services were called to Washington Crescent, in Newton Aycliffe, at 1pm on Saturday, January 18 after the silver Golf hit a parked vehicle and crashed onto its side.

Overturned car closes road in Newton Aycliffe

Ms Cruickshank said: “He’d got out of the car stating he shouldn’t have been driving and was taken to a neighbour’s address due to being injured and local residents were upset with him.”

She said the boy was treated for a hand injury at Darlington Memorial Hospital and immediately returned to police custody where he made full admissions.

A friend who was with him at the time was not hurt.

The boy admitted taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and driving without third party insurance. He also pleaded guilty to driving after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion in his breath – 68 microgrammes in 100ml – exceeded the prescribed limit.

Lawrence Petterson, mitigating, said the boy had no previous convictions.

“We all make mistakes in life, this young man recognises he made a serious misjudgement when he went out in that car,” he said.

“He hopes to secure an apprenticeship and is very optimistic that one of two interviews he has had will bare fruit.”

The boy’s parents, who were alongside him in court, said his mother’s car was written off and repairs to the other damaged car were covered by insurance.

Addressing the boy, District Judge Helen Cousins said: “Your parents are mortified they are in court today, you understand that?

“You are 16, this was a big mistake. I don’t want it to have a greater impact on the rest of your life than it needs to.

“You come from a decent, supportive, loving family and I don’t see there are any benefits society can gain by making you take up resources of the youth offending team.”

She gave him a 12 month conditional discharge, disqualified him from driving for 18 months and ordered his mother to pay £85 court costs and a £21 victim surcharge.

The judge added: “I hope you get an apprenticeship and she will wreak her vengeance on you by getting you to pay that back.”