BIKE MANIAC; Drunk & tearing along the A1 at 130mph.Byline: GARRY WILLEY A BOOZED up biker reached speeds of 130mph during a police chase, a court heard. Campbell Swales was spotted veering his Suzuki superbike The term Superbike is used to describe sport bikes with displacement of around 1000cc. Superbikes have have lightweight frames and are powered by high performance engines. Their design is more focused on race track performance than rider comfort. , dubbed a "killing machine" through heavy traffic on the busy A1. A police patrol officer spotted the 46-year-old, still over the alcohol limit from a drink binge the night before, close on the tail of a Land Rover Discovery The Discovery is a four wheel drive on-road and off-road vehicle from the British car maker Land Rover. There have been three generations of the vehicle, which is less expensive than the company's top Range Rover model. in heavy mid morning traffic near Westerhope in Newcastle. Swales carried out two hairraising overtaking manoeuvres and sent roadside debris flying as he came perilously close to the central barriers. And when the officer signaled for him to stop, he opened the bike's throttle so much he did a "wheelie wheel·ie n. A stunt in which the front wheel or wheels of a vehicle, such as a bicycle or motorcycle, are raised so that the vehicle is balanced momentarily on its rear wheel or wheels. " on his way to a speed of at least 130mph, the city's Crown Court was told. "It is luck you didn't come off the bike," Judge Beatrice Bolton said. "What is more it is luck nobody was killed or hurt. "Your driving was extremely dangerous Exteremely Dangerous is a 1999 four part series for ITV starring Sean Bean as an ex-MI5 undercover agent convicted of the brutal murder of his wife and child who goes on the run to try and clear his name. He sets out to follow up a strange clue sent to him in prison. and I treat the drink element as an aggravating feature." Swales, a radiographer from Longbank, Wrekenton, Gateshead, was jailed for six months after admitting dangerous driving and excess alcohol on April 2 this year. "You have a drink problem and were riding what is in essence a killing machine," Judge Bolton said. "I take a serious view of this." Swales, whose specialist work includes checking nuclear power plants pipework for minute cracks, was also banned from driving for 18 months. He must pass an extended test before he can legally return to the road. He was too quick for police to catch as they watched the 1000cc Suzuki GSXR race off into the distance, the court heard. But he had to slow as traffic built up at the Kingston Park
A breath test showed he was more than twice over the alcohol limit even though he said his last drink had been late the night before, she added. Christopher Mitford, defending, said Swales acknowledged his driving that morning had been out of order. "He was riding far too fast on this occasion," Mr Mitford told the court. "He did not injure anybody but he was without doubt riding dangerously and he entirely accepts his wrongdoing." CAPTION(S): KILLING MACHINE: The Judge said Swales's Suzuki superbike was a killing machine in his hands JAILED: Campbell Swales was still over the drink limit |
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