Young driver who crashed stolen car narrowly avoids jail

A YOUNG Lerwick man who stole a car in the town in October last year, driving it dangerously at excessive speeds before crashing it into another vehicle, has narrowly escaped a prison sentence.

Jack Desvaux was instead placed under supervision for three years and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order.

The 23-year-old was also disqualified from driving for three years when he appeared for sentencing at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

He had admitted the charges last month, which occurred on 12 October 2024.

Speaking in mitigation, defence solicitor Tommy Allan said there was nothing his client could realistically do to put things right.

Both vehicles involved in the offence had to be written off.

He said Desvaux, of the town’s Hoofields, had a “fairly limited criminal history” and suggested that he would benefit from a period of supervision and unpaid work.

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The court had previously heard how the owner of the unsecured vehicle had to buy herself out of a hire purchase agreement at a cost of more than £11,000 because the insurance had declined to pay for the damage.

Sentencing Desvaux, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told the 23-year-old that people had lost out simply due to his “gross stupidity”.

He said he had to follow the young person’s sentencing guidelines, and imposed the community payback order as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence.

Desvaux has also been told that he must pass the extended driving test before being allowed back on the roads.

Lerwick man admits crashing car he took without consent