Wigan teenager told quad bike chase ‘could have proved fatal’

Stuart Martin of Prestt Grove, Worsley Mesnes, sped past a patrol before driving through junctions and give way signs at 30mph in a 20mph zone on Broom Road despite being ordered to stop.

A car had to slow down to avoid hitting helmetless Martin who then mounted a kerb and rode through a gap in a fence. The 18-year-old was forced to stop when the quad ran out of fuel and was arrested after trying to flee on foot.

Martin had already admitted dangerous driving while disqualified and has now been sentenced, being banned from driving for 20 months, hit with a 180 hours’ unpaid work and made to pay costs and a surcharge of £170.

Prosecuting, Tess Kenyon told Wigan magistrates: “An officer spotted the defendant driving towards him, and could clearly see he had no helmet on.

However, when they prepared to stop him, he mounted the pavement to get past and sped off.”

The court heard Martin had received a 12-month road ban for unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle last April.

Defending, Martin Jones said: “My client had bought the quad bike cheap and had plans to repair it and sell it for a small profit. When he noticed the officer step out to block his way past, he recognised this as the standard procedure taken before they knock someone off in order to stop them. In this moment he panicked and made the decision to carry on driving.”

The court heard Martin is a care leaver, and spent most of his life in temporary homes following the death of his grandmother.

The bench told him: “You could have knocked someone over and killed them, and we were very close to sending you to jail. You’re a young man with the rest of your life ahead of you, but only you can help yourself now by staying out of trouble.”