JOBLESS Ronaldo Wright who took a car for a short spin before crashing it has been banned from driving for 18 months.Wright, 20, of Shakespeare Road, Ipswich was found guilty by trial of taking a vehicle without consent after he wrote off a Vauxhall Nova in August 2001.

JOBLESS Ronaldo Wright who took a car for a short spin before crashing it has been banned from driving for 18 months.

Wright, 20, of Shakespeare Road, Ipswich was found guilty by trial of taking a vehicle without consent after he wrote off a Vauxhall Nova in August 2001.

The car's owner Miss Richards drove to a friend's house and went out with them for the evening and returned in the early hours, prosecutor David Taylor told magistrates in Ipswich.

When they came back they found several people in the house, including Wright, who had taken the keys to the car before taking the vehicle for a spin without asking. He then crashed it, "writing it off," the court heard.

The damage, valued at £300, included a slashed front near-side tyre, scratched alloy wheel and wheel arch, bumper damage and a loose gear stick, South East Suffolk Magistrates heard.

"The vehicle was a write-off she says," Mr Taylor told magistrates.

Roger Thomson, mitigating, said two people were involved in taking the car and they "drove a short distance."

Wright, who has a daughter, regretted what he had done and had already paid the owner £250, which she accepted.

The court heard Wright had a previous conviction for taking a vehicle without consent and was given a 12 month driving ban.

Mr Thompson told magistrates: "This is 18 months down the road. This is a young man of 20…He has been waiting a long time to drive."

In addition to the driving ban bench chairman Bernard Hines gave him a 12 month community rehabilitation order which includes a general behaviour programme.

He was also told to pay £50 compensation to cover the loss and ordered to pay £150 prosecution costs.