Police caught a runaway motoring offender after he crashed into a parked car and wrote-off both vehicles.
Gary Legge, 32, of Burlow Avenue, Buxton, took his partner’s Mercedes without her consent and crashed into a parked Vauxhall Antara on nearby Burlow Road, at Buxton, according to a Chesterfield magistrates’ court hearing.
Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop told the hearing on Monday, June 25: “A road traffic collision was reported shortly before 1am, on February 18, after a Mercedes driven by Mr Legge collided with a parked Vauxhall.
“Both vehicles were written-off.”
Mrs Allsop added that Legge ran from the scene of the collision and did not return to his home immediately but he was seen by police at a later date and admitted crashing.
He told police he had been out drinking with his partner and they had argument and he took her car keys and the collision happened a short distance from his home.
Legge pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without consent which led to damage being caused, using a vehicle without insurance and without a licence, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident to police.
Magistrates, who considered a probation report, sentenced Legge to a 12 month community order with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 80 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £499.84 compensation, an £85 victim surcharge and £85 costs.
Legge was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.