A teen driver has been fined £800 and banned from driving after crashing his car into a field.

Morgan Askew, aged 19, of Gorsecroft, in Douglas, admitted careless driving, having no insurance, and a licence offence.

He was disqualified from driving for two months by magistrates.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, on December 12, police found Askew’s Mazda unattended in a field at Johnny Watterson’s Lane in Douglas.

The car was left unlocked with the keys still in the ignition.

Records showed that Askew was the registered keeper of the vehicle but he only held a provisional licence despite no ’L’ plates being visible on the car.

Askew later contacted the police to tell them that he had been driving the car.

In police interview he admitted that he had been unsupervised despite only holding the provisional licence.

Responsibility

The teenager told police he had collided with a bank after losing control on a bend and admitted that he was not insured.

Defence advocate Michael Mudge said that his client had taken ’full responsibility for all the offence’.

’He even contacted the police himself, added Mr Mudge.

’He wasn’t drunk and there was no damage other than to his own car.’

Mr Mudge went on to say that his client held a clean driving licence.

Magistrates fined Askew £500 for driving without due care, £200 for having no insurance, and £100 for the licence offence.

Askew must also pay £50 prosecution costs.

The fine and costs will all be paid at a rate of £10 per week deducted from his benefits.