139 mph biker banned from driving (From York Press)
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139 mph biker, Steven Smith, banned from driving
10:20am Friday 19th October 2012 in News
By Dan Bean, Selby reporter
Image of the biker caught on a police speed camera.
THE fastest biker ever convicted in North Yorkshire has been banned from the roads.
Steven Graham Smith, 40, was caught by mobile police cameras while travelling at 139mph on the B1217 at Saxton, near Tadcaster – more than twice the 60mph speed limit.
He was returning home from a trip to Squires Café in Sherburn-in-Elmet at about 2.40pm on September 29 when he was caught by the police patrol, Selby Magistrates heard yesterday.
He said: “It was an act of stupidity. I’m very sorry for what I’ve done, that’s all I can say.”
Smith told the court his Aprilia RSV4 motorcycle – a similar model to the one used by World Superbike champion Max Biaggi – was now for sale, but he needed access to a vehicle to get to work at a golf course, near his home in Hallfield Crescent, Wetherby.
Inspector Dave Brown, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “This foolish act only strengthens the importance of safety cameras and the outcome will hopefully give Mr Smith a wake-up call.
“He should consider himself lucky to be able to attend court to face only a speeding charge and a big hole in his bank balance. The consequences of riding at such a speed could have been catastrophic for him and other road users.”
Angela Lewis, chair of the bench, told Smith he was lucky to be standing in front of the court, as his actions could easily have led to his or someone else’s death.
She said: “This was a horrendous example of bad driving – 139mph on a B-road in the afternoon, when there could have been other road users about.
“There could have been pedestrians trying to cross the road who saw a clear road, and you would have been upon them in a matter of seconds.”
Smith was banned from driving for six months and told he could not operate another motor vehicle after the ban until he had retaken and passed his driving test.
He was also fined £415 and ordered to pay court costs of £45 and a victim surcharge of £15.
