A LEARNER driver who took his ex-girlfriend's car during “a moment of madness” after he had been drinking shopped himself to police when he realised he would be in trouble.

Taras Bojko had invited his former partner to his home in The Folley, Layer-de-la-Haye, for a conversation where he asked her to drive him to the shops.

She refused saying they were no longer together and went to drive off in her Ford Fiesta.

But Bojko, who had drunk two cans of beer before the incident, stopped her driving away before getting into the car himself.

Philip Pearson, prosecuting at Colchester Magistrates’ Court said: “He jumped onto the bonnet.

“After this, the victim got out of the car and began to remonstrate with him.

“He then took the keys and then drove off in the vehicle without her consent.

“She called her mother on the phone who coincidentally spotted him driving in the opposite direction and reported him to the police.

“A few minutes later he pulls over and calls the police himself when he realised things are getting out of hand.”

Police found Bojko, 24, where he had described.

He was breathalysed and found to have 56mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The demolition supervisor, who is yet to pass his driving test, admitted taking a vehicle without consent, drink driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

He was banned from driving for 12 months and handed a community order where he must complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

Gavin Burrell, mitigating said Bojko had not jumped at the car but accepted he did try to stop it.

He said: “They had been in a relationship for some years but it had broken down.

“On this day he had a couple of cans of beer. He made the request for the lift to the shops but she didn’t want to.

“The unusual part of this case is he phoned the police himself.

“He suggests this was a moment of madness.

“He made the phone call to the police realising the situation he was in.”

He must pay court charges of £170.