A MAN who took his friend’s car and begged police not to tell him he had taken it has been warned he is facing prison.

Rana Ali Ahmed was caught driving his friend’s Honda Civic on North Road, in Darlington, on the night of Monday, April 29, despite being disqualified, Darlington magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Peter Milne told how 29-year-old Ali Ahmed had initially given false details to the police officer who stopped him, before admitting the name he had given was that of his friend and that he had taken his car without permission.

He said his friend of 45 years would “go mad” if he found out he had taken his vehicle, and asked police not to tell him he had been stopped while driving his car.

Mitigating, Nick Woodhouse, said Ali Ahmed, who has six previous convictions for driving while disqualified, is banned from driving until April next year, but wrongly thought his ban had ended earlier this year.

Ali Ahmed, of Longfield Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, obstructing a police constable in execution of their duty and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

Magistrates adjourned the case to allow the probation service to prepare a pre-sentence report on the defendant, and he was given unconditional bail ahead of his sentencing on Thursday, May 30.

Chairwoman of the bench, Barbara Carter, told Ali Ahmed: “We are looking at custody as there are six previous offences for driving while disqualified.”