A 34-year-old man took his partner’s father’s Jaguar and crashed it into a telegraph pole and rolled it on the outskirts of Bala in the early hours of the morning, magistrates at Dolgellau heard.

Although it was at 2am on the morning of 2 April, the police managed to trace the driver as he was making his way back to a chalet at Llandderfel where he was staying with his partner and friends for a couple of days, crown prosecutor Rhian Jones told the court.

Scott James Rogers, 34, of 77 Cawthorne Avenue, Kirby, Merseyside pleaded guilty to the aggravated taking of the Jaguar, driving without a licence, without insurance and failing to report an accident.

When stopped by police Rogers claimed he was diabetic and was looking for a late night fast food outlet.

A member of the public reported the incident to the police and officers found Rogers and a friend walking along the road and trying to get back to their chalet.

Defence solicitor Richard Williams said that it was the defendant who called the police because his client and his friend were lost.

Mr Williams said that his partner’s father who owned the Jaguar was on holiday in Malta and did not wish to make a formal complaint or claim compensation.

He said that the reason for taking the car was to try to get food that he needed because of his diabetes.

The court probation officer said that the defendant needed intervention from the probation service and recommended a 12 month community order with rehabilitation for 20 days in problem solving skills and 35 sessions of thinking skills to prevent him re-offending.

The court heard that Rogers was receiving £1,000 per month in benefits and disability living allowance and that he had a drugs dependancy problem.

The magistrates agreed with the probation officer and imposed the conditions as specified.

As punishment the court imposed a three month curfew between 7 pm and 7 am for the defendant to live at his mothers home. Costs of £145 were imposed.

No separate penalties were imposed for the other offences.

Rogers who did not have a driving licence, was banned from driving for 12 months.

The costs and 12 month community order to be transferred to the defendants local probation service.