IS THIS Kidderminster man the worst driver in Britain?

Mark Tovey crashed a car into a lamppost before landing it on its roof in a Kidderminster home's driveway - and did it all without ever having a full driving licence or even having had a driving lesson for 11 years.

The learner driver drove his recently bought Renault Megane from his father's house at speeds of 50mph on 30mph roads before the lunchtime smash on January 4 in Baldwin Road - all without a valid licence or insurance, without wearing a seatbelt, with bald, flat tyres, and with his unsuspecting girlfriend in the passenger seat.

Magistrates at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, July 16, where the 30-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges of dangerous driving and driving without a license or insurance, said the driving offences were too serious to be sentenced by them and Tovey was sent to Worcester Crown Court to be sentenced.

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said it was an anonymous tip that pointed police to Tovey being on the roads alone despite only holding a provisional licence, but unfortunately this did not stop the crash, which luckily did not cause serious injury to anyone.

He said: "He [Tovey] lost control of the car, left the road, hit the lamppost, and landed on the roof in the driveway of a house. A vehicle parked on the driveway had a smashed windscreen as a result.

"He was complaining of back pain and was taken to the hospital by police, only to discharge himself a short time after."

When the car was inspected after the incident, the tread on all four tyres were under inflated and found to be below the legal depth, with the cord visible on two of them, and the battery was unsecured.

Crash investigators said the lack of inflation and tread had had an impact on the car and contributed to the incident.

"[Tovey] was interviewed [and] he said he had been going at 'some speed' and 'lost it'," Mr Beale said.

"When asked if he had had any driving lessons he said he had had a few when he was 19 and his girlfriend didn't know his driving status. He had had the car for a few days and was looking into it.

"When he was asked about the condition of the car, he said he picked it up at night and only had a quick look at it, but knew the tyres were bald.

"When asked about the police car, he said he panicked because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt and had no insurance."

Tovey said he carried on driving to get away from police, and was recorded reaching speeds of 50mph in 30mph zones, but doesn't remember anything between reaching the corner at Baldwin Road to the moment he awoke upside down in the car.

His solicitor, Fergus Maxwell said there were no injuries to pedestrians, other road users, or to the passenger, and no drivers had to take evasive action to avoid the speeding car.

Tovey, of Bewdley Road, Kidderminster, will appear at Worcester Crown Court on August 14 for sentencing, with the bench saying all options were open, including custody, to the judge in the court.

He was granted unconditional bail and given an interim driving disqualification.