A SOUTH Petherton man who knew he had drunk too much to drive home hatched a ludicrous plan using a 17 year old boy to help him steer his car.

Chef Lee Derek Evis sat in the driver’s seat operating the foot pedals and gearstick while the youth was sat on his lap and using the steering wheel.

However the hapless duo’s idea did not get them very far as they ended up crashing into a parked car and writing off both vehicles.

At the moment of impact the driver’s airbag was deployed hitting the youth and causing him to make contact with Evis’s head causing injuries and also left him with a broken hand.

When he appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates his solicitor Tom Biggs said that “the less said about the offence the better”.

“This was a very unique situation and one that my client will not be repeating anytime soon,” he said.

Evis, 31, of Harding Court, pleaded guilty to driving a VW Golf on Church Street, Martock without due care and attention and after consuming excess alcohol on July 27.

He also admitted driving the car without insurance when he was before the court at Yeovil.

Christine Hart, prosecuting, said that on the day in question Evis met up with friends at the Bakers Arms pub in Martock and then went on to a friend’s house afterwards and continued drinking.

The defendant had driven to the pub and was drinking vodka and coke until 2.45am and a 17 year old boy who was with him said Evis was “stumbling all over the place” and had “trembling speech”.

“He then said he was going to drive the three mile journey home but the youth felt that was likely to be unsafe so offered to navigate for the defendant,” she said.

“Evis then got into the driver’s seat and the youth got on his lap and had control of the steering while the defendant had control of the gears and pedals.

“Evis was looking over the youth’s right hand shoulder in order to be able to see and as they drove into Church Street the vehicle gathered speed.

“The youth told Evis to brake as he had seen a parked car and realised they were going to collide with it, which they did.”

The driver’s airbag in the car was deployed in the youth’s face and he banged heads with Evis and the owner of the other car was woken by the noise and saw that extensive rear end damage was caused to their car.

The police were called to the scene and Evis identified himself as the driver and his car had serious front end damage.

He failed a roadside breath test and the youth admitted that he was sat on the defendant’s lap and was doing the steering while Evis was operating the pedals.

The court was also told that the youth was also being investigated by police and was due to be considered for a youth caution, and both men involved in the incident sustained injuries.

Defending solicitor Tom Biggs said that it was an “unattractive set of circumstances” where Evis had allowed somebody who was not insured sit on his lap and drive his car.

“He does not try to mitigate the offence and appreciates the gravity of the situation,” he said.

“He has never been in court before or been in trouble with the police and this offence will hit him pretty hard.”

He added that Evis would now find it difficult to travel to work to the pub where he was employed as a chef and would be reliant on friends and taxis to take him there.

The magistrates banned him from driving for 18 months and fined him £390 for drink driving and a further £390 for careless driving.

A further fine of £100 was imposed for the insurance offence along with a £150 court charge, £85 costs and a £39 victim surcharge.