A JOYRIDER who stole a car and damaged it, leaving a family feeling afraid, will spend eight weeks behind bars.

Grant Sumner, 25, admitted stealing a car, driving it without a licence or insurance and causing criminal damage to it.

Magistrates heard how Sumner decided to "pop some locks" testing car door handles in Landsdowne Road before taking an Audi Q7 belonging to Misba Afzal.

He took the Audi after finding the key to it in another car in the same road.

Nicola Ritchie, prosecuting, said: "In the morning, Mrs Afzal noticed her car was missing and that the back door to the other car belonging to the household, a Peugeot 207, was open.

"She kept a spare key in the centre console of the Peugeot and she noticed that it had gone missing.

"Later that day, her brother noticed the car in Rose Avenue with substantial damage and CCTV footage was recovered which shows the defendant approaching Landsdowne Road before trying car door handles including the back door of the Peugeot.

"He noticed it was open and took the keys to the Audi before driving off in it."

The court heard a statement on behalf of Mrs Afzal which said she and her family felt scared in case he came back, and that she was having to re-assure her children that he would not return.

She also said the family were unable to travel together and would need to find another seven-seater car to replace the loss of their car.

The amount quoted for the car to be repaired was reportedly £12,000 - after Sumner damaged the off side, though the court did not hear the definite value of the repair.

A probation officer addressing the court said how Sumner was headed to the gym when he "started popping the locks off various cars".

In his police interview, Sumner,of Astwood Road, Worcester, told officers that he did not cause the damage to the car prior to leaving it in Rose Avenue on the morning of April 27, and that his plan was to go back later and drive it again.

The probation officer also told the court: "After stealing the car he went back to his girlfriend's house and told her what he had done.

"He has physical health issues which mean he is unsuitable for unpaid work.

"He has anxiety and depression and, before taking his mediation in the morning, is very hyper and can't calm down."

"She told him he was stupid, and, on reflection, he says he is sorry and that it was an incident of immature, childish, impulsive behaviour."

At Worcester Magistrates Court, magistrates jailed Sumner for eight weeks in light of his previous record.

Chair of the bench Simon Egerton said: "This offence follows a previous similar offence and we are giving you a 12-week custodial sentence, reduced to eight in light of your guilty plea."

No costs were awarded, and Sumner was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115.