A Darlington man is having to dig deep into his pockets, after a romantic gesture ended up costing more than he expected.

Stacey Ashton, of Pateley Moor Crescent, wanted to buy his girlfriend a bunch of flowers and decided the best way to get them was to take her father's transit van, without his consent.

The 20-year-old is now being ordered to pay £500 in compensation after he crashed the van into two other cars, writing them off the road.

At his appearance in Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday, Ashton pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, driving with no insurance and driving without a licence, though these did not carry separate penalties.

He was given 80 hours community punishment, however, for taking the van without the owner's consent and was banned from the roads for 12 months.

Rory Todd, in mitigation, said: "It would appear Mr Ashton's mobile phone was on the van's dashboard and it began to slip.

"Mr Ashton went to grab the phone and it is possible at this point he moved the steering wheel, which caused the van to crash into the two vehicles by the side of the road."

The court was told the van collided with a parked van.