A prank game at a party backfired when a Subaru car was crashed into a front garden.

Guests had been messing about hiding each other’s car keys - and Justin Wagg, 29, and his girlfriend ended up without their own.

Wagg decided they would drive away in the host’s Subaru Legacy but soon crashed it into a property in High Street, Hilgay.

Magistrates in King's Lynn were told on Thursday that it caused £1,420 damage to fencing as well as damage to the car.

Police searching for the occupants were pointed to their location by a witness.

Wagg, of Basil Drive, Downham Market, admitted to having been the driver but did not have a licence or insurance.

He also pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and possession of 2.16 grams of cannabis during the incident on March 28, 2021.

Alison Muir, mitigating, said the crash occurred after Wagg had ended up without the right car keys at the party.

“It happened as soon as he got behind the wheel. He doesn’t know how to drive very well and certainly not an automatic, which this vehicle was,” said the solicitor.

She added that there was no malice in the vehicle taking.

Miss Muir said: “The owner bears him no ill despite what happened and told the police ‘I don’t want you to do him for this’.

“It’s fair to say there have been many apologies since.”

Wagg was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to do 150 hours’ unpaid work.

For the insurance offence he received six penalty points and was fined £120.

There were no separate penalties for the other matters but Wagg was told to pay £300 compensation to the property owner plus costs and victim surcharge of £240.