A motorist who crashed his girlfriend’s car and then got her to report it stolen, was traced through Facebook detective work by the other drivers involved in his collision.
Leeds Crown Court heard Daniel Briggs, of Thornhill Lees, was behind the wheel of his girlfriend’s Audi when he drove into the back of a car waiting to turn on to Leeds Road, Dewsbury.
The impact was so forceful even though the driver had his brake on it shunted his vehicle forwards into the road where it was hit by another vehicle. Both drivers suffered neck injuries as a result of the crash. One had to take some time off work and one had only just bought the vehicle and had to continue making finance payments.
At the time Briggs was a provisional licence holder and had no insurance for the vehicle and after parking the Audi in a shop car park he ran off.
After contacting his girlfriend he told her to report it missing to the police which she did.
But Duncan Ritchie prosecuting told the court that the report was discovered to be false when the other drivers involved made their own inquiries.
After discovering the name of the vehicle's owner, the court heard they looked at her Facebook page and saw a picture of her cuddling Briggs, who they recognised as the driver.
Richard Reed for Briggs said the couple had later reconciled. His problem was his ongoing cannabis addiction which had caused him to lose employment on more than one occasion.
Briggs, 25, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, having no insurance or full driving licence, attempting to pervert the course of justice and common assault.
He was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for two years.
