Teenager wrote off his girlfriend's £3,300 car
Brandor Lowe, 18, was banned from driving for 18 months and told to do 120 hours of unpaid community work after a judge heard it was his second such offence.
Lowe, who gave his parents' address at Hawkins Road, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle-taking and driving without insurance when he appeared before District Judge Paul Farmer at Bodmin court on July 1.
Prosecutor Elaine Hobson told the court that at 5.27am on June 25 police went to the A388 near Launceston after two men had run away from the scene of an accident involving a Vauxhall Corsa.
The registered keeper, Lowe's girlfriend, said the car had been taken from Duchy College, Stoke Climsland.
Lowe was arrested and admitted he had taken the keys from his girlfriend's bedroom, although he knew he wasn't allowed to take the car.
He had then driven it to Tesco at Launceston and was on his way back when he swerved to avoid a fox and hit a telegraph pole.
The £3,300 car was a write-off, the court heard.
Mike Gregson, mitigating, said Lowe had driven the car regularly with his girlfriend's consent but, two or three days before the incident, she had withdrawn her permission when they argued. The relationship was now over.
He had gone to Tesco to get more drink and food after the end of a college party but was not over the alcohol limit when tested after the accident. The court was told that Lowe hoped to join the RAF.
Mr Farmer, passing sentence after considering a pre-sentence report, told Lowe: "This is the second time you have been in court for aggravated vehicle-taking and you knew full well you didn't have permission to drive.
"You were on the cusp of losing your liberty today."
Lowe was given a 12-month community order with the unpaid work and told to pay a £50 fine with a £15 surcharge and £65 costs.
