A MAN who led police on a 100mph motorbike chase before crashing near Dolfor was disqualified from driving for six months and fined £635.

Amrik Singh, from Edgbaston, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving without due care and attention.

Welshpool Magistrates’ Court was told on Tuesday that on Sunday, June 17, traffic officer Sgt Earp was travelling from Newtown in the direction of Llanbadarn Fynydd on the A483 when he noticed a BMW motorcycle attempting an overtaking manoeuvre on a burgundy Rover 75.

Prosecuting, Mr Kevin Challinor also told the court that according to the officer’s report the defendant swerved over double solid white lines in an attempt to pass the vehicle before pulling back in sharply and “nosediving” his bike. Sgt Earp turned in pursuit of the vehicle and another motorbike, a red Honda Fireblade, which appeared to be travelling with the defendant.

In his report he said he caught up with the two bikes after around four miles, approaching bends near Dolfor, and as the officer travelled along the long straight he was going at an indicated speed of 105mph, but he was not gaining any ground on the motorcycles ahead.

Around one mile later the officer made an attempt to stop the chase having got in between the two motorcycles and activated the lights and sirens while the motorcycles were behind a motor vehicle.

The Honda began to slow and pull in, however the defendant paused for a second as he looked in the offside mirror and then overtook the vehicle, moving away from the officer towards Newtown.

As the officer came around a sharp right hand bend he could see that the defendant’s motorcycle had collided with the a hedgerow, with the defendant just getting to his feet.

The defendant had suffered injuries to his chest and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Drink and drug tests at the scene provided negative results.

Defending, Mr Dulay said his client admitted he had suffered a “momentary lapse in concentration” which he added was an isolated incident.

He said his client accepted that he had made an error of judgment, but that he had hit a drain which was what caused him to crash and that had he been riding at the speeds suggested his injuries would have been far more severe.

He argued that his client, who had six points on his licence already, would be subject to exceptional hardship if sentencing caused him to lose his licence, as he was required to drive as part of his job as a building site supervisor.

Having been called to the stand in his application for exceptional hardship, an emotional Singh broke down in tears before the court, telling magistrates it would be “very difficult for him” if he lost his licence as he was responsible for his children getting to school and him taking his elderly mother to the day care centre each day.

Magistrates added nine points to Singh’s licence, disqualifying him from driving for six months. He was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £50.