A serial car thief took off with his friend’s motor and smashed it through a garden wall after a drink and drugs binge.
John Hendry fled the scene of the crash in Aberdeen last month and police dogs were deployed to track him down.
Yesterday the 24-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where he narrowly avoided a prison sentence.
The court heard Hendry – who was previously jailed in 2015 for sparking a police chase after stealing a motorbike – was drinking in the Holburn Bar on Friday, February 9.
He and a friend consumed “an unknown amount” there, and that Hendry asked his friend where he had parked his silver Honda Civic.
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Fiscal depute Christy Ward said: “At that time, the car keys were in the other man’s jacket pocket, but at 8.40am the next day the accused was seen driving the car at excessive speed on Derbeth Crescent.
“Those witnesses then heard a loud bang.
“They saw that the car had collided with, and become embedded in, a garden wall, resulting in extensive damage to the wall and gate.
“The witnesses then saw the accused flee the scene on foot.”
A police dog handler was among officers sent to trace Hendry, who was found at the Family Shopper grocery store on Rousay Drive.
The court heard he was described as “sweating, out of breath and seemingly under the influence of something”.
Police arrested him there but Hendry shouted and swore at officers, referring to them as “bams” and “rats” before threatening to “slice them up”.
He refused to answer questions, or provide a sample of his breath for testing, but later admitted driving away a car without the consent of the owner.
He also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner to police, failing to give information to officers, failing to give a breath test or blood sample and being unfit to drive through drink or drugs.
Defence agent Alex Burn said: “My client had been consuming alcohol and cocaine, and is unable to explain why he did this.
“But he has demonstrated remorse for his actions, he has been struggling to deal with the loss of his grandmother last year and fell back into negative peer influences.”
Hendry, of Ivanhoe Road, was banned from driving for 16 months and put on a year-long supervision order. He must also do 200 hours of unpaid work.
Hendry was sentenced to 14 months’ detention in 2015.
He was locked up in 2013 after admitting 18 offences, including stealing cars, petrol and golf clubs.