A DRUNK teenager who stole a golf buggy and then drove through a McDonald's drive-thru has been banned from the roads for a year.

Jamie Elliot, 18, took the buggy from Catterick Golf Club and drove it for 3.5miles with a pal on the hunt for takeaway food.

Northallerton Magistrates' Court, North Yorks., heard the intoxicated teen had travelled to the fast food chain at around 4am before police were called to the scene.

Prosecutor Sarah Tyrer told the court: "The defendant had gone to the restaurant with friend Matt Redfern as his passenger when he was found by police.

"He had taken the golf cart from a nearby golf club and taken it 3.5 miles in distance.

"Police were called by restaurant by staff and the defendant provided a breath sample for analysis which proved he was over the limit."

The incident, which occurred at the fast food chain outlet on May 29 this year, had been reported by McDonald's staff.

Officers had tweeted a picture of the golf buggy parked up outside the McDonald's restaurant in Richmond, North Yorks., which had been shared hundreds of times.

When mechanical engineering apprentice Elliot was breathalysed he was found to be over the limit with 47 microgrammes in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35microgrammes.

North Yorkshire Police also gave him a warning for taking the golf buggy without consent from the unsecured golf club.

Nick Woodhouse, defending, said: "The defendant made full admissions and co-operated with the police at the time.

"A couple of days after the incident he actually secured an apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering.

"This isn't someone who sits around playing the Playstation all day long, he has actively found work which is something quite hard to find in rural areas.

"He was of low intoxication, of previous good character, there was no damage to the vehicle or anything else and no other vehicles were on the road at that time of night."

Elliot, of Richmond, North Yorks., pleaded guilty to driving a mechanically propelled vehicle while unfit to drive through drink.

He was disqualified this morning (tues) from the roads for 12 months.

Chair of the Magistrates' bench Julia Svennevig told the defendant: "You will be disqualified for 12 months with an option to bring that down if you successfully complete a drink awareness road safety course.

"If you drive in that period of time, you will end up in prison and an even longer disqualification."

Elliot was also fined £120, ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a £30 surcharge.