A TEENAGE party goer borrowed car keys to go and get a CD but drove off in the vehicle.

Blackburn magistrates heard Ross Knowles returned with the keys an hour later after he had ploughed the car into a dry stone wall.

And the court was told Knowles had never had a driving lesson, or held even a provisional licence.

Knowles, 18, of Olive Lane, Darwen, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, failing to stop and failing to report an accident, driving without insurance and without a licence.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, ordered to do 40 hours unpaid work and pay £250 compensation.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said the car owner, Natasha Jackson, had been at a party at a house in Redlam, Blackburn, when Knowles asked for her car keys so he could get a CD.

“Half an hour later police arrived and told her the car had crashed into a stone wall on Billinge End Road,” said Miss Akhtar.

“Half an hour after that the defendant returned to the party and handed her the keys.”

Miss Akhtar said the car was a write-off. Miss Jackson had lost £400 on the insurance payout and her premium had gone up by £400.

Colleen Dickinson-Jones, defending, said Knowles walked back to the party.

“He understands the stupidity of what he did and he will never do anything like that again,” said Mrs Dickinson-Jones.