A LEARNER driver left the scene of a crash and he smashed into a parked car while trying to give a pal a lift home.

Samuel Jaggard was driving a friend's Ford KA in Fingringhoe Road, Colchester, when he crashed into a parked Vauxhall Zafira shortly before 5am in January.

The pair pushed the car to the side of the road and went home, but police were called to the scene and found both cars were badly damaged.

When officers arrived the KA was locked and secured at the side of the road but had no L plates on it. They managed to track down the owner of the Zafira at home nearby who said the car had been in perfect condition when they left it outside the night before.

Officers then found the owner of the KA, who informed them Samuel Jaggard, who is yet to pass his test, was behind the wheel at the time.

The 22-year-old admitted failing to stop at the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident, driving without a licence and without insurance ahead of his Colchester Magistrates' Court appearance.

Jaggard, of Heath Road, Rowhedge, told the court he took a gamble on driving home which did not pay off.

"I had a friend in the car with me but he was not supposed to be supervising me," he said.

"We pushed the car to the side of the road but the wheel locked up and we were going to go back in the morning to report what had happened.

"It was too late to get a taxi home and I thought it was a good idea to drive - obviously now I massively regret it.

"It was a really stupid thing I did."

Magistrates banned him from driving for six months.

He was handed a £230 fine and £120 in court charges which is father, who appeared in court to support him, agreed to pay.