Mark Campbell, a 26-year-old from Welbeck Road in Walker, has admitted dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving with no insurance, and handling stolen goods after leading police on a dangerous pursuit on a stolen motorbike. The incident took place on Scotswood Road in Newcastle on September 11 this year, less than a year after Campbell was banned from the roads for drug-driving.
Chase details
Clare Haswell, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said officers spotted Campbell and another male riding another stolen bike on Scotswood Road. They were travelling along the footpath without wearing protective headgear or clothing. When officers activated their blue lights and sirens, both males made off and continued to travel westbound on the footpaths.
The officers followed and saw the two males leave the footpath and travel on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic. The males then mounted the central reservation and entered the westbound carriageway. At some traffic lights that had turned red, Campbell slowed to navigate stationary traffic, allowing an officer to grab him and pull him from his bike.
Background and previous conviction
Checks revealed the motorcycle had been stolen from a rear yard a few days prior, and Campbell was a disqualified driver. The court heard he was also on a suspended sentence and had a previous conviction for dangerous driving.
In September last year, Campbell was banned from the roads for drug-driving. At that time, the court heard he was high on cocaine when captured on CCTV riding his motorcycle around roundabouts in Newburn. Moments later, after he got off the bike, his friend Lee Rowland, 19, from Scotswood, took the vehicle without permission and drove off. Mr Rowland was seriously injured in a collision on Kingfisher Boulevard at the junction with Goldcrest Way and later died in hospital. There was no suggestion Campbell had anything to do with the accident or gave permission to ride the motorcycle.
Sentencing
Jonathan Pigford, defending, said Campbell was "realistic" about his prospects of being sent to prison, adding: "You may feel that your sentencing powers are insufficient." Magistrates agreed and sent Campbell to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence. He was released on unconditional bail to appear there on October 27.
