A man who took a friend’s van without asking permission has been sentenced to three weeks under curfew with an electric tag.

William Mattieson, 28, of Raydons Road, Dagenham, was handed a six-month community order at Barkingstide Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, and driving without insurance or a valid licence.

Mattieson was stopped by a routine police check on April 9 while driving a Ford Transit in Straight Road, Harold Hill.

The court heard how, after he parked the vehicle, officers discovered Mattieson was not insured to drive the van.

He explained it was not his but belonged to a friend.

Police then spoke to the friend and found he had not given permission for Mattieson to use the van.

When interviewed by police, Mattieson admitted taking the van without asking and having only a provisional driver’s licence, the court heard.

The prosecutor said: “Mattieson told police the owner had left his keys in the vehicle and he wanted to go out to eat with the vehicle.”

Mattieson has apologised to his friend.

District Judge Gary Lucie sentenced him to a six-month community order for taking the van, meaning six months’ supervision and a “short curfew” with an electronic tag from 6am to 7pm, to last three weeks.

The sentence was cut back from a four-week curfew after Mattieson mentioned he had plans to travel to attend his grandmother’s 90th birthday on Sunday, and to go on holiday for a week in late June.

He received no separate penalty for the other offences, but was given six points on his licence and told to pay a £60 surcharge.

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