A MAN sped off in his girlfriend's car and crashed into two parked vehicles, shunting them 50ft up the road, a court heard.

People living in a Southampton street heard a loud bang and discovered that both vehicles "had effectively been destroyed" by a Vauxhall Astra driven by Andrew Tribbeck.

Tribbeck was immediately attacked and went to hospital later that evening to have his injuries treated, Southampton Crown Court was told.

Timothy Akers, prosecuting, said the accident at Spring Road, Itchen, on May 1 caused £7,000 of damage to the three vehicles involved.

Referring to the Vauxhall Astra he added: "Smoke was coming from the engine area and the defendant was trying to kick his way out of the damaged vehicle.

"One of the vehicles he drove into was a mobility car."

Tribbeck told police he took the keys to his girlfriend's vehicle after the couple had a row. Following the accident he was hit in the face by a group of people who also pushed him to the ground before kicking and punching him.

The defendant told the officers: "I grabbed a fencepost and waved it at them to scare them off."

Tribbeck, 32, of Claude Ashby Close, Swaythling, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle-taking, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

David Reid, mitigating, said: "It was a foolish thing to do. He stormed out of the flat and took his girlfriend's car. He's lucky she can see the good in him and has forgiven him for taking and damaging her car."

Mr Reid dismissed suggestions that Tribbeck tried to flee the scene immediately after the crash.

He told the court: "The defendant called his cousin and also dialled 999, but was set upon by people who were clearly angry about what had happened."

Judge Peter Henry told Tribbeck: "You drove without insurance, having never passed a driving test, and collided with two parked cars, effectively destroying them.

"They were shunted 50ft up the road, which implies quite a lot of speed was involved."

Tribbeck was jailed for four months, suspended for two years, and banned from driving for 18 months.

He was also told to pay £425 costs and carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.