A Briton who works on a yacht got drunk at a New Year’s Eve party and caused extensive damage to a villa in Ta’ Xbiex when he drove a car into it.

Thomas Alan Kennedy, 20, was placed on probation for a year after pleading guilty to causing damage to the villa and the car, drink driving and using a vehicle that was not licensed or covered by insurance.

He also admitted to driving without a valid licence. He possesses a UK licence, but it is not valid in Malta unless the driver is 21.

He was so drunk on the night that he remembers almost nothing and looked surprised in court when he got a glimpse of photograph showing the damage he had caused.

The incident happened at about 2.30am on Tuesday when Mr Kennedy left the party drunk. He then drove a Maruti Gypsy that damaged the villa on the Ta’ Xbiex seafront.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit ordered him to pay the villa owners €1,500 to cover the damage caused.

He was also disallowed from using his British driving licence in Malta for a period of a month (after turning 21).