A drink driver from Willenhall who stole his father’s car and then set it on fire after crashing into a lamp post has been sent to prison for a year.

Craig Worley had been drinking heavily with his friend Lee Freeman when he decided to take the Ford Escort in the early hours and visit a former partner.

The 23-year-old lost control of the car, which was valued at around £800, in Brenton Road, Penn, and he crashed into the lamp post.

Mr Howard Searle prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court that two men left the vehicle “embedded” in the lamp post, but they returned moments later when Worley was seen by residents setting it on fire.

When arrested a short time later Worley still had the keys to the car in his possession while Freeman agreed it had been a “joint enterprise.”

When tested by police officers after his arrest Worley, of Stringes Lane, Willenhall was found to be twice over the permitted alcohol limit.

Worley admitted arson, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance or a licence and with excess alcohol and he was further disqualified from driving for three years.

Mr Glyn Whitehouse, defending, told the court that the offences came from a “piece of stupidity” at a time when he had not been thinking clearly.

Freeman of Walsall Street, Willenhall, admitted arson and allowing himself to be carried in a vehicle taken without consent and was placed under Supervision for a year.

Judge John Wait further ordered him to carry out 120 hours Community Punishment and made him the subject of a three month curfew between the hours of 7pm and 6am.

Judge Wait told Worley it was clear he had tried to “throw the blame on others” by torching the car to get rid of any clues.

He said it was clear he was “in drink and over emotional” when he took his father’s car adding: “You drove in drink and you crashed. You could have caused serious injury to your passenger.”

Judge Wait sentenced them at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.

Under sentencing guidelines anyone who is caught drink driving and then charged with the offence faces a minimum 12 months driving ban at court.

There is also a minimum of a three year driving ban if a person has a previous drink driving conviction in the past 10 years.

A charge of aggravated vehicle taking is pursued where a car has been driven badly and taken without the owner’s consent.