A 26-YEAR-OLD who took his friend’s car without telling him has been jailed for a year after he crashed “spectacularly” in Bemerton Heath.

Peter Pearce, who gave a care of address in Churchill Estate, Tisbury, was called a “menace on the roads” by Judge Andrew Barnett after he lost control of the car and smashed into a parked Chevrolet Spark.

The impact of the smash pushed the Chevrolet into a camper van which in turn was forced into a caravan, causing more than £10,000 worth of damage.

Prosecuting Kerry Maylin said Pearce had taken the Ford Mondeo on August 30 last year in order to try and find some cannabis to buy.

She said: “He eventually ended up in Gainsborough Close and Penruddock Close in Bemerton Heath at around 3am and at that stage he lost control of the car and collided with a stationery vehicle, a Chevrolet Spark, a relatively new vehicle that unfortunately from the impact of the crash was pushed into a camper van and that camper van was forced into a traditional, towable caravan.

“The camper van and the Chevrolet were unfortunately written off by the insurers and there was extensive damage to the caravan.

“He was arrested later that day, accepted what he had done and gave full answers to everything.”

Defending Trevor Line said Pearce was “particularly remorseful” of his offences because they were committed against a family that were his only friends in the area.

Sentencing him to 12 months on Monday at Salisbury Crown Court, Judge Barnett said: "As far as the matter of the aggravated vehicle taking, you totally abused the trust of friends of yours.

"You took the keys and drove to Shaftesbury first before coming back to Salisbury driving in such an irresponsible and incapable fashion, and taking drugs as well, that you crashed spectacularly in Bemerton Heath, damaging not one but three motor vehicles, all owned by one person.

“This is always taken very seriously by the court. In your case, you are 26 and you have a bad record. The one thing in your favour is that you are remorseful and I give you credit for that.

“The least sentence I can pass on you, in view of the dreadful matters I have outlined and the consequences of those, is a 12 month custodial sentence.”

Pearce was also given a one month sentence for the possession of a Class B drug, to be served concurrently, and was disqualified from driving for two years.

In a previous hearing, Pearce admitted aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance, failing to stop at an accident, failing to report an accident, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and possession of a Class B drug.

The court also heard Pearce has 19 previous convictions which include taking a vehicle without consent in 2009 and 2010, and the theft of a vehicle in 2011.