Six men who took part in two illegal motorbike ‘ride outs’ across Leeds and Wakefield and showed off their dangerous exploits online have been sentenced at court.
The men were brought to justice after officers from the Leeds South Neighbourhood Policing Team painstakingly pored over the internet footage to build up a clear evidential picture of those involved.
The two incidents, which involved 11 riders on motorbikes and quad bikes, took place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 March 2018.
On the Saturday, the group set off from Middleton, down to Beeston, through Holbeck and into the city centre before coming back out of the city to Hunslet and up to Belle Isle before heading back to Middleton.
During that journey, they were seen pulling wheelies in the middle of the road, riding on footpaths, jumping red lights, weaving among traffic, and deliberately wheel-spinning on grassed areas making mud fly and damaging verges. At one point in the city centre, a man remonstrated with members of the group who shouted abuse and kicked out at him.
The next day, the group set off from Middleton again before heading through Lofthouse, Outwood, Wakefield city centre, Lupset, Horbury, Horbury Bridge, and Grange Moor, before coming to a stop near Kirkheaton, Huddersfield.
Along the 18-mile journey that spanned three districts, the riders could be seen riding dangerously and anti-socially through traffic, including accelerating in the middle of the road, pulling wheelies, going through red lights and riding on pavements.
Footage from both incidents filmed on a helmet-mounted camera was posted to YouTube under the username Timmy Mallet, who was subsequently identified as Terrence Barker from Middleton.
Officers spent hours reviewing the material to pinpoint distinctive items of clothing and vehicles’ characteristics and combined this with their local knowledge of those known to be involved in the anti-social use of motorbikes.
This led to seven warrants being executed at the suspects’ addresses and at a container yard in Middleton from where the footage started.
Items of clothing worn in the footage were seized along with a large number of motorbikes and quad bikes stored at the container yard.
Specialist imaging experts from Yorkshire and Humber Scientific Support Services created detailed packages for each individual rider as part of the comprehensive evidence prepared for court.
Seven defendants were charged with causing a public nuisance and pleaded guilty to the offence.
Six were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Friday (10 December 2021).
Five of the men were convicted over their part in both incidents:
Daniel Brook, aged 24, of Lingwell Approach, Middleton, was jailed for a total of 35 months for his part in both incidents, as well as for separate offences including possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, dangerous driving, actual bodily harm, racially aggravated behaviour and driving while disqualified and with no insurance. He was also subject to a 24-month driving disqualification.
Robert Addinall, aged 30, of Winrose Crescent, Belle Isle, received a nine-month prison term, which will run alongside a sentence he is currently serving for offences connected to bringing drugs and weapons into prison, plus 10 months for the second count, which will run consecutively. He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months from his release date.
Damien Morgan, aged 28, of Ring Road, Middleton, was given an eight-month jail term that will run consecutively to one he is currently serving for drug supply. He will also be banned from driving for 12 months upon release.
Terrence Barker, aged 29, of Acre Road, Middleton, was given suspended concurrent sentences of nine months and 11 months for both counts. He was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work.
Brandon Parkin, aged 21, of Newhall Crecent, Leeds, was given a six-month suspended sentence, 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, 40 hours of unpaid work, a driving disqualification for 12 months and ordered to pay £500 costs.
Aiden Bedford, aged 32, of The Oaks, Middleton, was convicted of involvement in the second incident. He received an eight-month prison sentence and will be banned from driving for 14 months upon release.
A seventh defendant was dealt with at youth court for his involvement in the second incident.
Their seized bikes and equipment, which have been held in storage for the last three years, were made the subject of a deprivation order.
Chief Inspector Kev Pickles, who heads Neighbourhood Policing for Leeds District, said:
“The dangerous and anti-social behaviour of those who took part in these so-called ‘ride outs’ was completely unacceptable.
“Both incidents happened over significant distances on public roads in busy urban areas at a weekend and put people’s safety at risk and unnecessarily caused fear to members of the public who encountered them.
“We can never allow this kind of illegal activity that impacts on people’s lives to go unchallenged and we will always look to identify and take robust action against those involved.
“As a result of some painstaking investigate work by officers from the Leeds South Neighbourhood Policing Team, the majority of those who took part were identified and charged.
“They have now had to face the consequences of their actions, and we hope this successful outcome will provide some reassurance to our communities and also send a clear deterrent message to those who unwisely choose to involve themselves in incidents like this.
“The anti-social use of motorbikes is an issue that we continue to work closely alongside our partner agencies to address.
“We have specialist off-road bike officers who patrol hotspot areas to support the work of local neighbourhood officers and we regularly seize bikes and issue warning notices as well as taking other enforcement action in conjunction with Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team.
“We also work with schools and other young people’s organisations to raise awareness of the risks this activity creates for both the riders and members of the public.
“We encourage people to report any incidents, particularly if they have specific information about known individuals who are involved, so that we can take appropriate action.”
People can report off-road bike issues online using the West Yorkshire Police website www.westyorkshire.police.uk/form/report-nuisance-bikes
Councillor Debra Coupar, deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member for resources, said:
“The behaviour of this particular group of individuals in riding so recklessly through the pedestrianised areas of the city centre and on many busy roads was extremely dangerous and completely unacceptable.”
“We will not tolerate anti-social behaviour of any kind in Leeds and working in partnership with the police and others we will strive to make sure there are consequences from people willingly engaging in this type of activity.
“I am pleased to see that firm action has been taken in this instance and would hope that it deters people from taking part in this type of criminal activity in future.”
This post is based on a press release issued by West Yorkshire Police
Hope these people are never allowed to ride motorbikes or quad bikes again!
Typical of the petty-minded Leeds coppers.
They spend ages persecuting a bunch of guys out having fun on their bikes whilst they ignore / are complicit with / turn a blind-eye on major crimes.
I am a sure that the cops could, if they spent an equal amount, of “painstaking” investigation … actually tackle real incidents that affect the people of South Leeds.
Instead they are more concerned to be right-on and politically correct …!!
Tragic really.