A MAN caused significant damage when his car collided with a bus shelter and phone box in Bettws Cedewain, a court heard.

Jake Best, 29, of Coed Y Bryn, Welshpool had pleaded guilty earlier this month to failing to report an accident and and depositing items on a highway that could have caused injury or danger.

He was sentenced at the town's magistrates court where Justin Espie, prosecuting, said the road traffic collision had occurred at around 3am on September 25.

Mr Espie said the police received calls about the collision on the B4389 from a witness who saw a man running from the vehicle which had struck the brick shelter and kiosk.

The car, which was an Audi, had effectively been abandoned and there was debris in the road.

Officers noted that the vehicle was leased to Best and were able to speak to him the following day.

Robert Hanratty, defending, said Best's actions in not reporting the accident were "very unusual" for him and were explained by the shock and a concussion he sustained in the incident.

He added that as "there is no phone signal in the centre of Bettws", Best had jogged to a friend's house about a mile away and had been intending to report the incident when he got there.

When he went back to the scene in the daylight the following day, he was shocked at the damage that had been caused.

Mr Hanratty said: "The vehicle was in the layby but there were lumps of masonry in the carriageway, which were a danger to road users."

He added that Best had been working in real estate until he lost his job in September due to the pandemic, and was heavily involved with Welshpool Rugby Club.

Mr Hanratty read out a series of glowing references on Best's behalf, and with six points already on his driving licence, pleaded with the magistrates not to ban his client from driving as it would cause 'exceptional hardship' and prevent him from starting a new job in Dubai next month.

Chair of the magistrates bench, Dr Rachel Jones added seven points to Best's licence but drew back from handing him a driving ban as it would put his home and new job at risk, therefore causing exceptional hardship.

Dr Jones handed best a £200 fine, and he will also have to pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.