A drunken Swede took his friend’s rented car and went on a rampage up a one-way street in Marsascala, crashing into five cars, only coming to a stop after one of the car’s wheels came off.

Eric Joakim Marklund, a 20-year-old student worker who is here doing a construction job, yesterday pleaded guilty to escaping from police custody, damaging the cars and drink driving dangerously and without a licence or insurance cover.

He was jailed for one year suspended for two, fined €5,000 and disqualified from obtaining a driving licence for one year.

The court heard that Mr Marklund, who is staying at a hotel in Marsascala, took a Ford Focus but had no driving licence because it had already been suspended in Sweden.

The police arrested him on Saturday after he drove up a one-way street and crashed into five oncoming cars. One car at a time, he either collided with them or pushed past them and only stopped when one of the front wheels of his car fell off, Police Inspector Fabian Fleri told Magistrate Miriam Hayman.

The youth was taken to the Żabbar police station but managed to break free from escorting officers and run away, although he was recaptured almost immediately, the inspector said.

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