'Absolutely atrocious' - Jarrow moped rider led police on high-speed chase after on-road altercation
South Tyneside moped rider was nabbed by police after on-road altercation - and high-speed chase.
A “bored” South Tyneside moped rider who led police on a high-speed chase after being spotted tailgating in Gateshead had been handed a suspended prison term.
Leon Gordon, 18, tried to force a car to pull over by driving aggressively behind it on the A1 near the MetroCentre at 11am on Friday, April 3, a court heard.
When his tactics failed, Gordon, of Greenbank, central Jarrow, undercut and got into an altercation, prompting police to put on their blue lights.
But he sped off, causing officers to call in helicopter support, prosecutor James Rickerby told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
Moped rider loses police - but not the chopper
He shook off ground-based police but not their eye in the sky – and at one point he stopped his Honda machine to look up to see where it was.
After being pursued through Ryton and Blaydon, he was eventually arrested after pulling into a petrol station.
Gordon pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and other motoring matters and was jailed for 24 weeks, suspended for a year, with a judge describing his antics as “absolutely atrocious”.
Mr Rickerby said police attention fell on Gordon when he joined the A1 from a slip road and went straight into the outside lane.
He added: “It went up behind another vehicle, wanting it to move. When it didn’t, he undercut and there was a confrontation between them.
“He drove off at speed and did not stop for the officers. The traffic was heavy that day as it was a bank holiday.
“The officers lost sight of the defendant, but he was found by the helicopter.
“He looked up at the helicopter and then he noticed police in a car approaching and drove onto the A693.
“He went through Ryton and Blaydon and later exited onto Leam Lane, where he pulled into a petrol station and was stopped.”
Driver took moped for a spin because he was ‘bored’
Gordon also admitted failing to stop for police and driving without insurance and a licence.
He told the Probation Service in a report he had intended to legally ride the moped to help him get a job but had taken it for a spin because he was “bored”.
David Forrester, defending, said: “He came up from London at the age of 15 or 16.
“There was gang involvement down there, and his mum had brought him up here. He again became involved with people he shouldn’t be involved with.
“On seeing this young man, it’s impossible to not see that he has potential.”
District Judge Zoe Passfield jailed Gordon for dangerous driving, with no separate penalty on the other matters, and banned him from driving for 18 months.
He must also complete 20 rehabilitation days and 80 hours of unpaid work, and pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
She told him: ‘This was absolutely atrocious driving. You had no right to be on the roads at all.
“You no licence or insurance. You put members of the public at risk. It was a protracted period of dangerous driving.
“I accept that you have shown genuine remorse and seem to have a real understanding of what a stupid thing this was to do.”