A scaffolder crashed into a woman’s car minutes after getting behind the wheel of a lorry despite being drunk and disqualified. 

Joshua Conway, 29, was still banned for previously drink driving when he took the Mercedes drop-sided truck from his work without permission on March 2.

Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told shortly after leaving the yard of Next Level Scaffolding on Brand’s Lane in Felthorpe he had hit another car.

The lorry driven by Joshua Conway hit a woman's car on Brand's Lane in FelthorpeThe lorry driven by Joshua Conway hit a woman's car on Brand's Lane in Felthorpe (Image: Google)

No-one was seriously injured but airbags went off in both vehicles.

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He was found to be over the drink drive limit following a roadside breath test when police were called to the crash.

Hollie Davies-Regan, prosecuting, said: “This was his place of work where he had been employed for four years.

“His employer has said that he knew he was not allowed to drive any vehicles because he has no licence.”

Conway, of Marauder Road in Norwich, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, driving without a licence, no insurance and drink driving.

The court was told he had previously been banned for two years in 2022 after being convicted of drink driving, having no licence and travelling with an unsecured load.  

Conway failed a breath test after the crash in March 2024Conway failed a breath test after the crash in March 2024 (Image: Newsquest)

Following the crash he had told police “I knew this was going to happen, I've had a few beers,” said Ms Davies-Regan.

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Rachel Buck, mitigating, said he had been drinking when he had received a message from his partner who needed help. 

“He panicked and took the incredibly stupid and reckless decision to take this vehicle and drive it,” she said.

At the time he had issues with alcohol and had gone “off the rails”, she added.

Magistrates banned him from driving for a further three years and sentenced him to a 12 month community order including an alcohol treatment requirement and 80 hours unpaid work. 

Prosecutors were unable to say why he had not been charged with driving while disqualified following the incident.