A mindless driver abandoned his unlit van in the middle of a road in darkness after ploughing into a school fence.
Delivery driver Colin Lascelles left the Mercedes in a "dangerous" position after "panicking" following the crash in Seaton Burn shortly after midnight. A court heard that the 37-year-old fled the scene on foot and didn't report the collision until more than nine hours later and after officers had discovered the vehicle, which was blocking both lanes in the road.
Lascelles, of Aidan Court, in Benton, later attended a police station as a voluntary attender and admitted leaving the scene of an accident and leaving his van in a dangerous position, offences he later pleaded guilty to at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court. He was fined £566, with £85 costs and a £57 victim surcharge.
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Paul Anderson, prosecuting, said police were travelling along Dudley Lane, in Seaton Burn, at 12.30am on April 30 this year when they noticed a stationary Mercedes Sprinter. Mr Anderson added: "It was abandoned in the middle of the road blocking both lanes with the front end crashed into the barriers at an entrance to a school. The rear end was sticking out across the adjacent lane.
"It had clearly collided with railings. There was damage to the vehicle and to the railings outside the school. It's 12.30am and the vehicle is very difficult to see - it's a danger."
The court heard that the officers carried out a search of the area but couldn't find the driver. However, the following morning, Lascelles rang the police and told them what he'd done, which he claimed was out of "panic".
Matthew Purves, defending, said Lascelles, who has past convictions but hadn't been before a court since 2016, had been driving his work vehicle when a problem occurred with a tyre, causing him to crash. Mr Purves continued: "He's in shock and his first reaction is "I'm going to go to my friend's house". He sits down with his friend and tries to calm himself down. He falls asleep and then realises what he's done and phones the police."
Lascelles was banned from driving for four months but that ban has been suspended after he appealed against that ruling.
* The original version of this story has been amended after Lascelles appealed against his driving ban.
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