Six riders banned after police recover camera footage
Prosecution comes after six men filmed themselves pulling wheelies and riding at speeds of up to 146mph
SIX MEN who filmed each other pulling wheelies and riding at speeds of up to 146mph have been banned from driving following the conclusion of a trial at St Albans crown court.
In April 2014 Matthew Langley (37), Jonathan Wartnaby (31), Malik Blackburn (31), Axel Jones (25), Kevin Saunders (29), Matthew James (28) were riding together from Bedford to Hatfield, with Langley recording the ride using two GoPro cameras attached to his Yamaha R6.
They hit speeds of up to 146mph and were also captured overtaking and undertaking other road users at speed, often very closely.
In the video above, Malik Blackburn is also seen pulling wheelies while stood on the seat of his Honda Fireblade and Matthew James is seen doing a burnout before leaving a petrol station.
After realising that the police had been made aware of their riding, Langley dumped the cameras in the Hatfield Tunnel, where they were recovered by police and used to prosecute the men.
Judge John Plumstead told Langley he behaved like ‘a complete idiot’ and that the mens’ riding was ‘an incredible display of idiocy’ because they ‘treated other road users like they were obstacles in a video game.’
All six admitted dangerous driving and received the following punishments:
- Matthew Langley (37) was banned for three years
- Malik Blackburn (31) was banned for two years
- Axel Jones (25) was banned for 18 months
- Jonathan Wartnaby (31) was banned for 18 months
- Matthew James (28) was banned for 18 months
- Kevin Saunders (29) was banned for 12 months
Alistair Turner, 50 and the driver of the silver Mercedes at the end of the video, was also banned for 12 months.
All will have to take an extended retest and pay £500 in prosecution costs, with Turner also required to pay an additional fine of £2,700.
