Houses to be demolished after Derby incident
It happened at Grampian Way at Sinfin
Last updated 27th Feb 2023
A 14-year-old boy has admitted driving offences after crashing a car into two houses, which must be demolished due to the damage.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on Saturday after the incident in Grampian Way, Sinfin, Derby, at around 2.30am.
It followed a short chase when officers spotted the stolen Volkswagen Sharan, taken from the area earlier that night.
The boy was seen performing several loops of the area and reached speeds "well in excess" of 30mph, a court heard. He was arrested at the scene of the crash and sustained minor injuries.
Appearing at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on Monday, the boy, who wore a blue tracksuit and white trainers, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking without consent and driving without a licence or insurance. Emma Gilberthorpe, prosecuting, said that the two semi-detached houses would need to be demolished following assessments from structural engineers.
She said: "When he saw the police officer, he panicked. "He did not know what to do and took his foot off the pedal and his hands off the steering wheel, and that is when he lost control.
"He said he was sorry and apologised for what he had done."
The boy, of Derby, has no previous convictions. Justin Ablott, defending, said: "The decisions this young man made are significant and serious.
"He knows he has behaved dreadfully over the course of the weekend." District Judge Andrew Meachin adjourned the case and told the boy to appear at the same court for sentence on March 31.