Man to be sentenced after admitting stealing friend's BMW & crashing it

A man will be sentenced in June after admitting stealing his friend's BMW and crashing it on the Mountain Road.

David Christopher Scott Rowson of Balladoyne in St Johns appeared before magistrates at Douglas Courthouse.

The 33 year old admitted taking a car without its owner's consent from Laxey on June 24 last year.

Prosecution advocate Hazel Carroon told the hearing members of the public rang police after seeing the blue BMW abandoned at the Waterworks.

One woman saw Rowson and a passenger get out of the vehicle after they'd hit a wall, while another reported the car had been abandoned.

Rowson initially denied any involvement but later admitted he'd taken the car after his DNA was found in blood on the car's airbag.

The court heard he'd been friends with the car's owner and had previously driven it on private land but didn't have a driving licence.

Magistrates asked for reports to be prepared before he's sentenced, and bailed him in the sum of £500 to appear in court again on 23 June.