A P-PLATE driver has been banned from driving for 12 months after performing a burnout in Mount Austin and crashing into a brick wall.
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Kai Harold Flagg-Stevens appeared in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to prolonging or sustaining loss of traction.
Documents tendered to the court state that on the morning of May 19, the 19-year-old was driving along Northcott Parade, Mount Austin, when he accelerated quickly and lost traction and continued to skid along the street.
He then lost control of the silver ute and crashed into a brick wall at a home on Macquarie Street, the impact of which caused cracks and shifted the wall.
Flagg-Stevens left the scene, but the homeowner who was also driving had witnessed the incident, so they followed him around the corner.
He caught up to Flagg-Stevens, who had stopped to check for damage, took down the registration and contacted police before driving away.
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Police arrived, spoke to the victim and witnesses, obtained signed statements, and took photos of the damage.
Later that evening, Flagg-Stevens attended the victim's home and told him he would pay for the damage and help him fix it.
However, he asked the victim to tell the police that it was his uncle driving, but the victim refused.
He was charged by police a few days later.
In court on Wednesday, Flagg-Stevens said the version of events as listed in the police fact sheet was not quite right, but the magistrate countered that upon a plea of guilty, it formed the basis of the sentence.
Flagg-Stevens said he had not left the scene of the crime on purpose but rather had thought he just hit the curb, so it was a "misunderstanding".
In handing down his sentence, Magistrate Christopher Halburd noted his limited capacity to pay a fine and his early guilty plea.
"The defendant is 19 years of age and has a very great need for a licence, but the court has no ability to extend any sort of leniency," he said.
"This is no minor matter of this type. It is a prevalent offence, and a clear message needs to be sent that if you are going to engage in this behaviour, you will be brought before the court.
"The defendant is an inexperienced driver with already one entry on his traffic record."
Flagg-Stevens was fined $500 and banned from driving for 12 months.
Magistrate Halburd urged him to follow the rules and punishment to the letter, adding that if he came back before the courts, the discussion might turn from fines and disqualifications to prison sentences.
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