Eight North East motorcycle and e-bike riders have been brought to justice for reckless and dangerous actions that caused havoc on roads across the region. From Newcastle to Northumberland, and Sunderland to Washington, the offenders have been captured by police and made to face the consequences of their crimes.
In one case, drugged-up Billy Stokoe, who only had a provisional licence and wasn't insured, hit Gloria Stephenson, 86, as she was crossing the road with her daughter's dog, tragically killing the gran who "didn't stand a chance".
Billy Stokoe
A great gran "didn't stand a chance" as she was mown down and killed on a zebra crossing by a drugged-up electric motorbike rider with no front brakes and a phone in his hand for the rear brake. Billy Stokoe, who only had a provisional licence and wasn't insured, didn't see Gloria Stephenson, 86, crossing the road with her daughter's dog. He ploughed into her, knocking her to the ground and inflicting fatal injuries.
A court heard the off-road bike should not have been on the roads and even if the 19-year-old had seen the former NHS worker, he couldn't have braked. Mrs Stephenson, a widow who was from the Silksworth area, died at the scene of the incident on the B1286 Burdon Road in Sunderland on May 16 last year. Stokoe pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while unlicensed and uninsured and driving over the limit for cannabis.
As he was locked up for six years and nine months, Mrs Stephenson's daughters slammed him for wanting to go to Wembley to watch Sunderland, and applying to have his bail restrictions altered to go on holiday, with one of them telling him: "I will hate you until my last breath."
Shantho Rahman
A teenager riding an electric motorbike dangerously through Newcastle city centre left a woman crossing a road seriously injured. Shantho Rahman, who was 17 at the time and was uninsured and had only a provisional driving licence, had turned off the bike's lights and was wearing dark clothing as he sped around at night.
A court heard he thought two people on a moped were following him with a view to stealing his bike, which prompted his reckless riding. After going over a pedestrianised area around Grey's Monument, he smashed into a woman who was crossing Grainger Street with her friend, leaving her in hospital for almost two weeks with fractures to her pelvis and arm. The victim has no memory of what happened but Rahman's actions were caught on CCTV, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Rahman, now 21, of Philip Place, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to 21 months suspended for two years with 100 hours unpaid work, and was banned from driving for two years. He was previously fined and given six penalty points for having no insurance at the time of the crash.
Lee Sweeting
A teenager on an E-bike nearly ran over a child playing football in a park when he took police on a dangerous pursuit through Newcastle's East End. Lee Sweeting was already on licence from prison when he decided to get on the bike then travel on the wrong side of the road, towards oncoming cars and near pedestrians in Walker.
A court heard that the 19-year-old forced vehicles to break or take evasive action, rode on pavements and across a football pitch, where children were playing. A police helicopter was forced to be deployed to safely follow Sweeting as he took police on a 20-minute chase, prosecutors said. The teen, of Scrogg Road, in Walker, eventually abandoned the bike, fled the scene on foot and tried to hide in some woods before he was found and arrested by officers.
Now, Sweeting has been locked up for 24 weeks and given a two-year driving ban after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. Magistrates also heard that Sweeting had a previous past conviction for dangerous driving in 2024 and has since been recalled to prison for his latest offence.
Joseph Gray
A teenage knifeman who was jailed for leaving a man fighting for life after stabbing him in the stomach in Newcastle City Centre has now been caught drug-driving. Joseph Gray was locked-up in 2024 after he admitted attacking the victim when he complained about the noise he and his friends were making.
The man suffered heavy internal bleeding, collapsed, needed emergency surgery and continued to suffer "paralysing" pain in the months after, a court at the time was called. Gray, who was 19 at the time of the stabbing but is now 21, was released from prison following a 21-month sentence for unlawful wounding and possessing an offensive weapon.
However, he has now proved he just can't stay out of trouble after he was caught trying to ride an E-Bike while high on cannabis and cocaine. A court heard that police spotted Gray lying beside the bike on a street in Tynemouth then watched as he got on it, turned on the ignition then lost control and failed to drive-off. Gray, of Briardene, in Whitley Bay, was back in the dock in February, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of driving while over the specified drug limit.
Connor Rock
A disqualified driver flouted his ban by riding a four-year-old's off-road electric bike along a busy North East road. Dad-of-two Connor Rock risked being sent to prison when he decided to get on the child's toy and travel along Ponteland Road, in Newcastle.
A court heard that the 30-year-old was banned from driving for 20 months in November last year after he was convicted of failing to provide a breath specimen. However, police spotted him riding the off-road bike one afternoon in February and, because it has an electric motor, he was not allowed to be on it in a public place.
Rock, of Magnolia Crescent, in Blakelaw, was arrested and pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance during a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court this week. District Judge Kate Meek gave him an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was also banned from driving for a further 12 months.
Peter Smith
Speeding along footpaths, tearing over football pitches and racing down a road at more than 100mph, motorbike menace Peter Smith is caught on camera. Already banned from the roads and with police on his tail, Smith showed scant regard for the safety of others as he tried to get away.
As we reported previously, Smith has been jailed for offences including dangerous driving. Northumbria Police released footage in February showing just how dangerous it was. Smith, 37, of Priory Grange, Blyth, has 72 previous convictions, including for drink driving, driving without due care and attention, failing to stop and assault, and was on a suspended prison sentence at the time.
He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance and was jailed for a total of 12 months. He will also be banned from driving for three years after his release and must take an extended retest before he can drive lawfully.
Peter Greenhalgh
An off-road motorbike menace left a young boy seriously injured after taking him for a ride and crashing. Peter Greenhalgh took his newly acquired Stomp 160cc bike for a spin on public roads in the dark despite the fact it had no lights and was only designed for off-road use, with a 10-year-old boy riding pillion.
Speeding between traffic calming humps and invisible to a woman driving her car in Washington, Greenhalgh ended up causing a collision which left the lad screaming in pain with a broken leg. He was then heard telling him: "I didn't even want to get on the bike". Greenhalgh, 45, who identifies as a "freeman of the land", then spent three years on the run from court before a warrant for his arrest was finally executed by police, and he has avoided jail for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Greenhalgh, whose address was given as Horsley Road, Barmston, Washington, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, having no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He was sentenced to 25 months suspended for two years with 250 hours unpaid work, a two year driving ban and he must pay £500 compensation to the Fiesta driver.
Barry Pitt
A drink and drug-driving motorcyclist "flew through the air" after he crashed into another vehicle because he flouted a red light. Barry Pitt, who claimed he was over-the-limit because his girlfriend and "plied him with all sorts" at her birthday party, was also uninsured and didn't have a licence when he decided to get on the bike.
A court heard that the 30-year-old was captured on CCTV driving at speed through residential streets in Ashington before he ignored a red light and smashed into a car. Pitt was captured on the footage "flying through the air" and hitting a tree, injuring himself to the point he needed to go to hospital.
Pitt, of College Road, in Ashington, has now been banned from the roads after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, driving with no insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and two counts of driving over the specified drug limit. Magistrates requested a pre-sentence report and the case as adjourned until later this month. In the meantime, Pitt was released on unconditional bail and made subject of an interim driving ban.
