Teen crashed into three cars on chance drive

Kyle Hendrie had only bought the Mitsubishi Shogun two days previously and had not passed a driving test.

Hendrie, an 18-year-old apprentice bricklayer, of St Annes Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving carelessly without insurance and not in accordance with his provisional licence and failing to stop after an accident.

The judge told Hendrie: “You caused a substantial amount of damage and compounded that by leaving the scene.”

Martine Connah, prosecuting, said Hendrie crashed into three parked cars in the resort’s Stony Hill Avenue on December 2 about 5pm. Hendrie and his passengers then ran off.

Hendrie’s car, a London taxi and a Peugeot were written off in the accident.

Police tracked down Hendrie half an hour later and he admitted he had been driving too fast for the road conditions. He had a previous conviction for careless driving.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said her client had passed his theory test and had been scheduled to take his practical test soon.

Hendrie had bought the car only two days previously. On the day of the offence he took a chance and drove it.

Hendrie was sentenced to 12 weeks in a young offenders’ institution suspended for 12 months, put on a three- month tagged curfew from 6pm to 6am, banned from the road for 12 months and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £85 costs plus £80 victims’ surcharge, by District Judge Richard Clews sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.