An uninsured driver who crashed his new car into three parked vehicles when he got confused with the pedals has been in court.

Tochukwu Okafor’s friend drove it from Manchester where he bought the Renault Scenic before parking up outside his house.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard how the 42-year-old decided to drive the car to his Darlington home before smashing into three cars.

Liz McGowan, prosecuting, said: “He had collected a new vehicle and he took it to Craig Street, which is a short distance from where it was parked.

“He has crashed into three cars and they have banged into each other.

“He didn’t know the controls of his knew car and he was just driving backwards and forwards.”

Okafor, of Craig Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, driving without a licence, and driving without insurance, following the incident on February 1.

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The defendant, who represented himself, said he intended to learn to drive and was the holder of a provisional licence at the time of the incident.

He said: “I was not used to the brakes, so I didn’t get my feet right and I was pressing the wrong pedals – that is how it happened.”

Professor Richard Scothon, the chairman of the bench, fined the defendant £207 as well as imposing court costs and a victim surcharge, leaving him with £375 to pay.

Okafor also had his licence endorsed with six penalty points.