Worksop: Man who had never had a driving lesson took Mum’s car and drove to petrol station because he ‘wanted a can of pop’

Samuel Burton, 25, of Kent Close, Worksop, appeared at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Friday September 4.

He pleaded guilty to charges of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent and driving it without a licence or insurance.

In mitigation, the court heard how Burton had seized the opportunity to go for a drive in his Mum’s Nissan at 3:50am while she was asleep on Sunday, August 16.

Burton picked a friend up from the town centre before driving to a petrol station in Retford where he picked up a can of pop.

Police officers spotted the vehicle and pulled Burton over after they checked the registration and discovered that the vehicle was insured to a female.

Representing himself, Burton told magistrates: “I picked my friend up from the town centre and then we drove to the petrol station because I wanted a drink.

“It wasn’t an alcoholic drink, just a can of pop.

“I might have never had a driving lesson but I do know how to drive.

“I have no idea what was going through my head that night.

“I can’t apologise enough for what I did.

“It definitely won’t happen again.”

Magistrates said: “It is really quite difficult for us to understand why you did this , considering that you are a person of previous good character.

“You might think you know how to drive but if you have never had a driving lesson you are not qualified to drive a car and you put yourself and others in danger by doing so.

“We’re truly puzzled as to why you would even consider doing something like this.”

Burton’s driving record was endorsed with six points for the offence.

Magistrates imposed a community order with 120 hours of unpaid work.

Burton was also ordered to pay a criminal courts charge of £150, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.