A 19-year-old has pleaded guilty to assisting an under-age driver who lost control of a car and crashed into a tree in the front garden of a house.

Joshua Wilson, of Broadfields Close, Gislingham, was in the passenger seat of a Ford Fiesta when the car veered off the road and hit the ornamental tree.

The incident happened at around 5.30pm on June 2 this year, when the vehicle was driven by a person who was aged under 18.

Suffolk Magistrates’ Court heard how, after the crash, the owner did not contact the police.

It was only later on that day that Wilson found that a neighbour had contacted officers about the incident.

He pleaded guilty to aiding or abetting a car without due care and attention, using a car on the road without insurance and aiding and abetting a car not in accordance with a licence.

He was handed six penalty points on his licence and fined a total of £330 for all the offences, including a £200 fine, £100 for court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Wilson expressed his remorse for his actions, saying that he was just trying to show off.

He said that he understood the seriousness of what he had done and said he would never do anything like it again.

Despite receiving six points, Wilson is still at risk of losing his licence.

The DVLA will revoke the licence of anyone who gets six points or more within two years of passing their test.

This would mean that Wilson would have to retake his test.

Wilson’s age was taken into consideration, as well as his guilty plea at the first opportunity and so his punishment was adjusted accordingly.

No compensation was requested by the owner of the tree, as those costs were covered by Wilson’s insurance.