A YOUNG man who took his girlfriend’s £23,000 truck before smashing it into a tree while trying to impress friends has avoided a jail sentence.

Kieran Hope, 22, had been driving home from a night out in Hereford with friends when he crashed into a tree on the A4111 two miles outside Kington in October last year causing “significant injuries” to one passenger.

At Hereford Crown Court last week Hope, from Llandrindod Wells, was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said that despite passengers telling the defendant to slow down after earlier hitting a verge he then lost control and crashed into a tree breaking the truck in two.

“One passenger said that Hope seemed to think it was funny,” said Mr Conry.

The court heard how the Mitsubishi, valued at £23,000, belonged to Hope’s partner and was a lease car.

In his statement the defendant said that he drove too fast into a corner and lost control after being distracted when a passenger’s phone lit up.

Mark Thompson, mitigating, said that Hope was driving “extremely foolishly”.

He said: “Since his school days he has been bullied which has carried on into his young adulthood. He was trying to impress his friends which was part of taking the truck against his partner’s wishes.”

One of the passengers suffered abdominal injuries from the crash leaving him off work for six weeks.

Hope suffered a broken ankle while the other two passengers suffered bruises and whiplash.

“You borrowed the vehicle without the permission of your partner and drove without insurance,” said Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins.

“You drove too fast and ignored warnings, lost control and caused significant injuries to a passenger.”

Hope was also ordered to complete 12 months’ supervision with 150 hours unpaid work. He was disqualified from driving for three years and after he will have to take an extended driving test. He was also ordered to pay £1,200 costs.

Speaking after the case, Sergeant Andy Wortley, from Hereford O.P.U, said: “I would like to reiterate to all motorists to think before they drive and their responsibility behind the wheel. 

“Do not drive at speed and drive to the conditions. We take allegations of dangerous driving and all offences very seriously which is reflected in the court results, and police continue to deal with driving offences robustly in order to safeguard all road users.”