A young man who was involved in an accident while driving a works van but didn’t report it has been fined £650.

James Gordon Collister hit a car in the big car park in Glen Maye but then drove away.

Magistrates also endorsed the 20-year-old’s licence with eight points after he pleaded guilty to careless driving, failing to report an accident and failing to stop after an accident.

Prosecuting advocate Rebecca Cubbon told the court that Collister, who lives in Christian Avenue, Kirk Michael, was in the car park at Glen Maye, next to the former Waterfall pub, on August 9 at 11.45am.

A witness said that he tried to drive out of the car park, going in between her vehicle and a Honda Jazz.

However, the gap proved to be too small to go through and he hit the Jazz causing considerable damage.

The witness said that Collister then got out of the van and picked up a rucksack from another vehicle, but then got back into the van and drove away.

Initially, when asked about the accident by his employer Collister denied all knowledge of it.

But his employer was then contacted by the police and he then admitted he had hit the Jazz. The total value of the damage to both vehicles was said to be £1,360, but no invoices had been provided confirming this.

Collister was given multiple opportunities to attend a voluntary interview by police but failed to do so.

The court heard that he already has three points on his licence for careless driving in 2020.

Collister declined the use of a duty advocate and opted to represent himself in court.

He handed in letters of reference to magistrates and said that he needed his driving licence for his work, which was now with a different employer.

He said that he was not the only person who drove the van but admitted that he was driving when the accident occurred.

Magistrates fined him £325 for the careless driving offence and £325 for the failing to stop offence.

No separate penalty was made for the failing to report an accident offence.

He was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs and will pay all amounts at a rate of £100 per month.

No order for compensation was made due to no proof of the value of the damage being provided to the court.