A motorcyclist who filmed himself pulling wheelies and hitting 130mph was brought to court after he crashed and his camera was seized by police.
Aaron Luck’s criminal conduct on his Suzuki GSX-R600 bike emerged after police attended a collision involving only his machine, at Caldbeck Common on May 16 last year.
Prompted by a bystander, an officer saw a GoPro camera on Luck’s helmet.
Footage was analysed and showed the 21-year-old travelling together with friends in three Nissan Micras.
“Driving on various roads around the Lake District where Mr Luck performed a number of stunts, it might be said, on his motorbike and drove in a dangerous manner,” prosecutor Gerard Rogerson told Carlisle Crown Court.
Video clips played in court showed Luck pulling wheelies and topping 80mph on the B5289 between Borrowdale and Honister; and hitting 130mph as he drove on the B5291 and A66 eastbound close to Bassenthwaite Lake.
“It is merciful that nobody was injured, including Mr Luck,” said Mr Rogerson.
Those Micras appeared to be pace-setters, and one car occupant was visible.
But the prosecutor spoke of asking police whether anybody else had been quizzed, and of receiving what he called a flippant reply stating simply no.
It was “slightly unfortunate” Luck was in the dock alone, the court heard, prompting Judge Paul Lawton to conclude it was not flippant but negligent.
“This is like the Gumball Rally around the roads of the Lake District, putting others in danger,” said Judge Lawton.
“I want a full written explanation as to why the investigation was not pursued properly.”Luck, a man without previous convictions who suffered only soreness which persisted after his crash, was interviewed by police.
“He admitted that riding at 130mph with one hand off the handlebars, leaning to the right, looking back over his shoulder was extremely dangerous,” said Mr Rogerson.
“He did feel under pressure from his friends to show off.”
Luck’s lawyer, Jeff Smith, conceded it was a miracle no injuries resulted.
The bike was impounded by police and later crushed after it wasn’t reclaimed.
Judge Lawton said: “The miracle is that I am reading a pre-sentence report and not a pathology report”, and said the public were fed up with such bad driving.
However, he accepted Luck, of Croft Place, Temple Sowerby, had shown remorse and been co-operative with police and probation service, and concluded there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.
Luck pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
He was given a suspended 12-month prison term for 18 months, and must carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and was given a rehabilitation requirement.
Luck was banned from driving for two years and must pass an extended retest.
Judge Lawton said of the eventual Caldbeck crash: “It’s obvious why that happened: because you were riding around the lanes and roads of the Lake District as if you were in the Isle of Man TT races.”
