AN “OUT of control” driver smashed into a grass verge before abandoning his car and his injured girlfriend.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that following the crash Joe Chamberlain rolled the Vauxhall Corsa into a nearby car park before running away to try to contact his father.

When officers arrived at Cliff Road, on Milford-on-Sea just after 7.30pm on February 24, they found the former Brockenhurst College student’s partner who told them “she had pains in her shoulder and her leg.”

Prosecutor Sital Mond read a statement from a witness to the crash, who was a passenger in a nearby Land Rover.

The statement said: “The vehicle was out of control as it appeared wobbly. We slowed down as it looked as though the vehicle was going to hit us.

“Then the car went up on to the kerb, left the road and crashed.”

The statement added: “We ran over to the car and I had a vision that someone would be seriously injured in the crash. There was extensive damage to the car. The female passenger was crying and Chamberlain was apologising. Both were shocked.”

Following the crash, Ms Mond said Chamberlain moved the vehicle into a car park. The witness then called the police.

She added: “He then ran off from the vehicle. When police arrived, the female said she had injured her arm and leg.”

Chamberlain, 22, said that he “panicked” in the moments after the collision and wanted to speak to his father.

Nigel Cousins, mitigating, told the court Chamberlain went to a nearby hotel to charge his phone before returning to the scene. He did contact the police – but some days later.

In sentencing Chamberlain, magistrates said they were concerned by a “lack of an explanation” as to why he ran away.

Chamberlain, of Meadow Road, Pennington, pleaded guilty to driving without due car and attention, failing to stop after a road accident and failing to report an accident.

He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £50 victim surcharge. His licence was endorsed with seven penalty points.