Teenage joyrider crashed into fence

Five youngsters crammed into the Renault Clio which was taken from outside a house in Dalatho Crescent, Peebles, without the consent of the owner around midnight on March 10.

The 17-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age – claimed he only intended taking it for a short spin, but headed out onto the A703 towards Penicuik and ended up crashing as his friends screamed at him to slow down.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving by exceeding speed limits, refusing to slow down when requested to do so and crashing through a roadside fence, resulting in injury to a 16-year-old girl.

Prosecuting at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Graham Fraser said the female lost two of her teeth and suffered cuts to the head.

Mr Fraser added that she will need false teeth to replace them.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow said his client’s female friend had joked about taking her mother’s car and claimed the friend threw the keys at him and said: “Let’s go.”

Mr Dow added: “He got carried away and panicked.”

The 17-year-old also admitted driving with no insurance and without the appropriate licence.

The unemployed school leaver had sentence deferred until May 8 for reports and was disqualified from driving in the meantime.