A BANNED driver smashed his car into one parked near his home following a row with his partner, a court heard yesterday.

Alistair Armour, 34, of Tennyson Avenue, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, failing to report an accident and not having insurance.

Peter Scott, prosecuting at Harrogate Magistrates' Court, said Armour, who was banned on June 6 for failing to provide a specimen, had crashed into a Vauxhall Cavalier, parked in Tennyson Avenue, on August 22 and had driven to Albert Road before leaving the car and walking home.

In mitigation, Simon Berger said Armour, a team leader at a flour mill in Birstwith, had driven off in his partner's car after she refused to take him into town to meet friends because of a problem with their three-year-old son.

Having driven off, Armour was so scared of his partner's reaction, he delayed his return until after midnight.

But, as he neared home, he braked and swerved to avoid a cat and hit the other car.

The court heard he stopped and looked at the damage but then drove off in a panic.

The court heard Armour bitterly regretted his impulsive actions and a prison sentence would mean he would lose his job.

Armour was ordered to do a total of 180 hours of unpaid community work for defying the driving ban and not reporting the accident.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £65 and was fined £150 with eight penalty points for the insurance offence.