A 23-year-old unlicensed driver has been given a community order after borrowing a car without permission to give his friends a lift.

Zakaria Ali, of Gaye Street, Ipswich, admitted four offences when he appeared before the town’s South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court.

He pleaded guilty to taking a VW Golf without the consent of the owner, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence, having no insurance and obstructing a police officer.

The offences occurred on October 15.

Prosecutor Wayne Ablett said Ali was stopped by a constable in Portman Road due to a defective brake light.

When the officer spoke to Ali he gave them a different name.

A mobile fingerprint machine was used to try to identify him, but it was not able to trace who he was.

Ali was arrested and admitted in his police interview that he had been at the vehicle owner’s home and wanted to take some friends back to Colchester.

The court heard he took the car without asking the owner as he knew he would not allow him to do so.

Sue Threadkell, representing Ali, told the court her client was Kurdish and had arrived in England in 2008 after travelling alone from Iraq.

He had been helped by his community who gave him food and money.

The court heard Ali had previously been at college but he was no longer able to attend.

Magistrates were told the owner of the car had said he was a young boy and the Kurdish community in Ipswich look after him.

He also put the taking of his VW Golf down to a “childish act” on Ali’s part.

Mrs Threadkell said Ali wants to live in England, get a job and pay taxes.

He had previously studied to be a hairdresser.

Magistrates sentenced Ali to a 12-month community order with a 120-hour unpaid work requirement.

He was also given six penalty points.

In addition he must pay a £150 criminal courts charge and £60 to the victims’ fund.