A TEENAGE driver crashed his car into another then drove away in a panic, a court heard yesterday.

Ryan Martin Aitken, 18, of Banklands Road, Darlington, drove into the back of a Toyota Carina, in Commercial Street, on Saturday, December 16 last year.

Aitken got out of his car, and suggested to the other driver that they move the cars round the corner. The other driver did that, but Aitken drove away.

The Carina had suffered £40 worth of damage. Aitken later told police he had "panicked".

Chris Bunting, mitigating, said at Darlington Magistrates' Court: "It is one of those fairly minor incidents which escalates. It's not difficult to put yourself of a young, inexperienced driver.

Aitken pleaded guilty to failing to stop an accident, failing to report an accident, and careless driving. He also pleaded guilty to a separate offence of insufficient tyre tread, from April 3.

He was fined £150 for careless driving, £80 plus five points for failing to stop at an accident, £50 for failing to report an accident, £30 plus three points for insufficient tyre tread.