A WALLYFORD teenager who was caught behind the wheel of an “old banger” with no driving licence could “have killed someone”, a sheriff has said.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified due to legal reasons, was spotted by police driving the car in March.

The teenager also had penalty points placed on his licence when he admitted three driving offences during an appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Friday.

Fiscal depute Kim Schofield told the court that police officers “observed a vehicle in a poor state of repair” at Cowpits Road, Whitecraig, before the vehicle came to a stop.

The officers spoke to the teenage driver and noticed the vehicle “had other youths within the car” before checks showed there was no insurance or MOT listed for the vehicle.

The police officers also discovered that the teenager did not have a full driving licence, was not displaying L-plates and did not have a qualified driver alongside him in the car at the time.

Solicitor Andrew Mellor, defending, said the boy did not turn 18 until October and the battered vehicle, bought for £100, had been “a scheme cooked up by him and his friends”.

Mr Mellor said that the boy knew “he should not have been driving without the appropriate documentation” and that he had no regular income as he was currently being supported by his parents.

Sheriff Gordon Liddle said: “If you have learned anything it should be that you cannot get away with doing things like this.

“Insuring a car is not just a formality, it also protects the public from drivers, in particular young drivers.

“You could very easily, not having passed your test and driving what can be described as an old banger, have killed someone. If that had happened you wouldn’t be in this court, or even this building.

“You would be facing the prospect of starting your young life behind bars.”

Sheriff Liddle handed out a £90 fine for driving with no full licence or L-plates displayed, and a further £160 fine to mark the lack of insurance.

The teenager was admonished on the lack of MOT charge and also had eight penalty points placed on his licence.

The teenager admitted the three offences while driving at Cowpits Road on March 29.