A LEARNER driver put playing children’s lives at risk when he popped out for a takeaway, York magistrates heard.

Damian Mark Ellis, 34, broke the speed limit as he tried to get away from police in Clifton, said Julia Birtwell, prosecuting.

He was uninsured and he had not applied for a new provisional licence when his old one had expired.

“Children were playing at the time of the offence,” she said. “Children were riding bicycles around Clifton.”

The chase had begun when Ellis drove off at speed on seeing a police car at 1.20pm on October 11.

They followed him and arrested him shortly afterwards at a nearby house.

Ellis, of Rookwood Gardens, Osmondthorpe, pleaded guilty to careless driving, driving whilst uninsured and without a licence.

He already had three penalty points and was given eight more.

He was fined £291 and ordered to pay a £34 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

For him Kevin Blount said he had been with his partner and had popped out for a birthday takeaway.

On seeing the police car he had driven straight back to her.

He was trying to sort out his licence situation.