A MAN who stole his brother's car rather than walk to the video store has been banned from driving.

Fakhir Hussein, aged 20, of Chorley Old Road, Bolton, was caught driving his brother's Vauxhall Astra without a licence or insurance by police community support officers (PCSO's) on January 25.

Hussein had stolen his brother's car keys and taken the car to return a DVD he had rented as he claimed, "it was too cold to walk".

The community support officers saw him at the junction of Bedford Street and Chorley New Road at about 6.30pm and tried to flag him down as they felt he was driving erratically, but Hussein refused to stop.

As he was driving away, he clipped one of the officers, who were both on pedal cycles, and the PCSO lost his balance and fell from his bike, slightly injuring his finger and leg, but Hussein refused to stop.

Hussein appeared at Bolton Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty to driving without a licence, driving without insurance, failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident and aggravated vehicle taking.

The 20-year-old, who has not even passed the theory part of his driving test, was banned from driving for 12 months, ordered to carry out 260 hours of community service, pay £50 compensation to the officer who was injured and pay £43 court costs.

Sentencing him, chairman of the bench, Vivian Rink, said: "This offence can actually attract a custodial sentence.

"Not only did you slightly injure the officer, but you didn't stop, you drove off. If you had had a more serious accident you could have been liable for much more serious things.

"One of these days you will have to take responsibility for your driving test. "