Video: Bikers banned for popping wheelies and speeding at 140mph

Six motorcyclists have been banned from driving after travelling on the A1 (M) at speeds of around 140mph, with GoPro footage recording numerous wheelies and undertaking/overtaking at high speeds.

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit released the footage on their website after seizing two cameras which recorded the bikers’ journey from Bedford to Hatfield.

Judge John Plumstead told St Albans Crown Court that the group, aged between 25 and 37, “treated other road users like they were obstacles in a video game”. While some of the footage shows one of the group perform a wheelie and simultaneously standing on the saddle for more than 200m.

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Officers recovered the footage after the motorcyclists attempted to dump the two cameras in Hatfield tunnel. It was then analysed by Road Safety Support experts as further evidence for a prosecution.

PC Damian Bevan, from the RPU, said: “The defendants acted with a group mentality, presumably trying to impress each other with their outrageous and extremely dangerous antics.

“Not only did they show flagrant disregard for the rules of the road, but they put themselves and others in unnecessary danger. They are fortunate that they did not cause a serious accident.”

A Mercedes driver, already on the A1 at the time, was also involved and convicted of dangerous driving after being dubbed as “being provoked by the biker’s behaviour”. The 50-year-old man was sentenced to a 12-month disqualification and a £2700 fine.

The offences occurred back in 2014 and yesterday the six motorcyclists were disqualified and ordered to pay £500 costs after pleading guilty to dangerous driving at earlier hearings.

Bikers sentenced:

·       Matthew Langley, aged 37, of Marston Mortaine, Bedford, was disqualified for three years

·       Malik Blackburn, aged 31, and of Corfe Road, Bedford, was disqualified for two years

·       Axel Jones, aged 25, of Bedford Road, Turvey, was disqualified for 18 months

·       Matthew James, aged 29, of Princess Street, Bedford, was disqualified for 18 months

·       Jonathan Wartnaby, aged 32, and of Springfield Avenue, Kempston, was disqualified for 18 months

·       Kevin Saunders, aged 29, of Withnell Road, Blackpool, was disqualified for 12 months.

 

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