York Crown Court was told on Friday the driver, Ryan Osbourne (25) of Rosemount Road, and his 26-year-old passenger, Philip Stentiford, of Talbot Court, Whitby, then compounded their problems by lying to the police about which of them had been driving.

Osbourne was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work after admitting dangerous driving and perverting the course of public justice.

He will also have to take an extended driving test before being allowed back on the road.

Stentiford was ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work after admitting perverting justice.

Rob Galley, prosecuting, told how police and firefighters were called to the scene of devastation in Scalby Road in the early hours of 10 January.

The defendants were found in a nearby house being given refreshments and being calmed down by the householder.

Osbourne told the police Stentiford had been driving and he (Osbourne) had been asleep in the passenger seat when the accident happened. Stentiford went along with the story and was arrested, but admitted they had lied when he provided a positive breath sample.

Osbourne was tracked down and eventually admitted he had in fact been the driver and had lost control in the terrible weather conditions, but not until his friend had spent almost 12 hours in custody.

Taryn Turner, mitigating for Osbourne, who had also been drinking before the accident, said both friends had been very foolish, with Osbourne telling the police the untruth because he had panicked and Stentiford for going along with what had been said.

Simon Revell, for Stentiford, said he had nothing to add.

Judge Stephen Ashurst said although charges of perverting justice usually attract a custodial sentence, he was not considering prison in the defendants’ cases.

The judge told the pair they were both decent young men who had now paid a heavy consequence for their actions by getting criminal records.

He adding he recognised both had been very anxious and frightenend by the whole court procedure which had followed their criminality and that he was confident the crown court would never see them again.