A 21-YEAR-OLD man ended up in court after his drunken “mates” played a foolish prank as he drove them home from a darts match.

Blackburn magistrates heard one of Liam Gowers’ friend pulled on the hand-brake causing him to skid on the snow covered roads and crash into two parked cars.

Gowers and his friends ran off but he was arrested the following day.

Gowers, of Gordon Cottages, Stonyhurst, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident.

He was fined £200 with £100 costs and his licence endorsed with seven penalty points.

A charge of driving with excess alcohol was withdrawn.

Liz Parker, defending, said Gowers had driven his friends to a darts match.

They had been drinking but he had only had one and a half pints of lager.

“His friends were drunk and as he drove home one of them grabbed the hand-brake causing his to crash into these parked cars,” said Mrs Parker.

“He is a hard working young man who you will never see in these courts again.”