Boy, aged 10, admits to driving while disqualified

A 10-YEAR-OLD boy in court yesterday admitted taking the family car, while he was already disqualified from driving.

The boy, who cannot be named, was reported to police by his father after he took the Vauxhall Cavalier on June 1 without permission and drove near his home in Ore, Hastings, East Sussex, while banned following a previous motoring offence.

Yesterday at Hastings Youth Court he admitted driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and taking a car without consent.

Magistrate Ken Melsom told the 4ft 5in boy: “You are disqualified and you are also 10 years old and children are not allowed to drive anyway. You do not have the ability, you do not have the strength and you do not have the skills that are needed for driving.

“You are a danger to yourself. You could have killed yourself and, just as important, you are a danger to other people using the roads.”

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said the boy’s father contacted police when he saw his son take the car. The spokeswoman added that the parents agreed to charges being brought against their son.

The youth was banned from driving following a previous driving offence.

The case was adjourned for one week when the boy will be sentenced for the offences he admitted to yesterday and another driving matter.