An unemployed carpenter stole his friend's car and accidentally crashed it through a garden wall because he was bored, a court heard.

Stuart Smith took the keys to the car from the dining room table at his friend's house in Clacton and took two friends for a ride.

But he lost control of the vehicle in Burrs Road and it smashed through the wall, leaving him with head injuries. No-one else was injured in the crash.

He appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court yesterday after admitting theft of a car, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and with no insurance.

The court heard Smith, 21, was taken to hospital after the crash, on December 7, and admitted everything to police before receiving 25 stitches to a head wound.

Paul Baker, mitigating, said when Smith's friend left his house to stretch his legs, Smith took the keys impulsively as he was "beginning to feel bored".

He added: "He was not trying to show off to the others in the car and his driving was not dangerous. He is remorseful. He's frankly appalled at what he did that day and does not want to get behind the wheel of another car again."

Smith, who lives with his mother in Key Road, Clacton, was given a 120-hour community punishment order for taking the car, which was written off, and disqualified from driving for a year for having no insurance.

He received no separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence but must pay £70 towards costs.

Published Thursday, February 17, 2005

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