A MAN caused nearly £5,000 of damage to three vehicles after he took his friend’s car without permission, a court heard.

Dylan Morris took the Renault Clio which had been left outside his home to give his girlfriend a lift home, but claimed a misted-up window caused him to hit another vehicle that then collided with another car that was parked up in Rhosymedre.

Morris, 21, of Plas Isaf, Rhosymedre, Wrexham admitted aggravated vehicle taking and property damage as well as driving without third party insurance when he appeared before Wrexham Magistrates Court.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson said that Morris ran off following the collision on November 4 last year and a witness recalled him saying: “I’m dead”.

“The reason he gives for the collision was that his window was misted up,” said the prosecutor. “He also tested positive for cocaine in his system.”

The court heard that all three vehicles, his friend’s Renault, a Vauxhall Zafira and an Isuzu Trooper, were written off afterwards to a total value of £4,760.

Bethan Jones, defending, said: “There was an exchange between himself and his girlfriend which caused him to be distracted. He will pay for his digression.”

District judge Gwyn Jones told Morris: “There are issues that you left the scene and another aggravating feature was you had a substance in your system.”

Morris was ordered to do 170 hours of unpaid work and was banned from driving for 20 months.

He was also fined £150 and ordered to pay compensation of £250 to one of the vehicle owners as well as costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.