A window-fitter who crashed his van into the back of another and fled the scene had become “confused by four pedals”.

Lloyd Brooman told a court he also got confused while he was behind the wheel of the silver Mercedes Vito van because it had four pedals and he wasn’t used to driving it.

He crashed into the back of a white Peugeot Partner van in Albion Road, Broadstairs, before exiting his vehicle to speak to the other driver, who was suffering from neck and back pain.

But a court was told the 43-year-old fled the scene without sharing his contact details or reporting the matter to the police because he was going through struggles in his personal life.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene on September 1 last year and Brooman wandered off and sat on a bench in a park for a while, before going home and apparently spending “two days in bed”.

Officers later identified and interviewed him on September 13, when he admitted to being the driver of the Mercedes Vito van.

Brooman, of Knockholt Road, Margate, was later charged with failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident.

He admitted both offences before magistrates in January, where a pre-sentencing report was ordered.

He returned to Margate Magistrates’ Court on August 7 for sentencing.

Prosecutor Julie Farbrace said: “He admitted driving and failing to stop at the scene and told police he couldn’t cope as he was going through some personal struggles.

“The other driver sustained back and neck injuries but no long-term damage but did have to have physio once a week.”

Magistrates heard Brooman mixed up the pedals as he was driving the new van. Further details of his personal struggles were not revealed in court.

He said: “It had four pedals and the airbag just came on and I got out and wandered off, I sat in a park until I came to. It was a blind corner and it was really too late, I just hit the back (of the other van).”

A probation officer also told the court Brooman had stayed in bed for days after the crash and did not speak to anyone and thought he had some sort of concussion as a result of the crash.

He also told probation he had not had any alcohol or drugs on the day he drove, but smoked cannabis sometimes for back pain and lived in a cabin in the back garden of his mother’s home.

The bench placed Brooman on a 12-month community order for the failing to stop offence which will see him attend 15 rehabilitation sessions with probation.

He was also placed on a curfew for eight weeks and must stay at home each night from 7pm to 7am.

He received no separate penalty for the failing to report matter, but his licence was endorsed with seven points.

Brooman was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 costs.