South Shields teenager crashed friend's mum's motorbike into Audi after promising not to drive it

A teenager took and crashed a friend’s mum’s motorbike after promising to store it safely for her and not drive it.
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Kyle Kennedy, 19, broke his word and her trust by climbing onto the KTM 250 – and firing up the ignition, a court heard.

But he came a cropper when he collided with an Audi Q2 in Readhead Road, near Harton Cemetery, South Shields, on Sunday, May 9.

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Kennedy left behind the damaged bike and fled back to his home in Marshall Wallis Road, Chichester, South Shields, but police came calling.

The incident happened in Redhead Road, South Shields.The incident happened in Redhead Road, South Shields.
The incident happened in Redhead Road, South Shields.

Prosecutor Lillian Yanes Hellevik told magistrates in South Tyneside: “The victim had purchased the motorbike through a finance agreement.

“She wanted it stored as she was having building work done to her driveway. She asked her son to contact a friend. He contacted the defendant.

“She agreed to give him £150 to store it in what she thought was a storage facility and that it wouldn’t be used.

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“However, officers attended her home to say the vehicle had been involved in a collision in Readhead Road.

“That’s when she confirmed that she was unaware the vehicle had been driven.”

Ms Yanes Hellevik told the hearing police had attended the crash scene – but Kennedy was gone.

She added: “They arrived to find an Audi with a damaged rear side panel and a damaged back door.

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“The motorbike was propped up against a tree. The Audi driver said the bike rider had left the scene.”

In a victim statement read to the court, the bike's owner said she was “devastated” by Kennedy’s actions.

Joanne Gatens, defending, said Kennedy, who has four previous convictions, blamed the Audi driver for the accident.

But she added: “He describes himself as making a childish decision in taking the vehicle.

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“He’s been trying to stay out of trouble, but the temptation got the better of him.”

Kennedy pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without consent, failing to stop after an accident, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Magistrates adjourned the case for reports and granted Kennedy unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Friday, October 29.

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