The 'hell-raising' moment a reckless biker tore through Sunderland at 138mph on stolen motorcycle

The footage was one of five similar shocking video clips Craig Place had saved on phone, so he could then "boast" about his dangerous speed during journeys around the Sunderland area.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the recordings were taken by a camera attached to Place's helmet, which were found by the police when they seized his phone, which contained downloads of the footage.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch told the court the videos mostly feature the speedometer of the bike as it travels at 70, 80, 120 and even 138mph and one features him doing a wheelie at 80mph.

The court heard the the 138mph trip happened on the A690 on October 6, 2022, which shows the bike reaching hair-raising speeds while other road users go about their lawful business.

Mr Bunch said: "The police had attended in August last year and seized the defendant's mobile phone in relation to an unrelated matter, which has not been proceeded with.

"When the phone was downloaded it became clear the defendant had recorded a large number of images in relation to his use of various motorbikes.

"In relation to one such image, it showed the defendant in possession of a motorbike that was identified subsequently as a stolen motorbike.

"The defendant was recorded using the motorbike on the A690 travelling north towards Houghton-le-Spring.

"The majority of that recording showed the speedometer of the motorbike as the defendant travelled on the dual carriageway.

"Initially it showed the bike travelling at just over 70mph but during the course of the clip, which lasts just over a minute, the motorbike reaches a top speed of 138mph."

The court heard as Place approached Houghton, he turned down a slip road towards the town but continued to travel at over 100mph.Place, 30, of Queen Elizabeth Drive, Houghton, admitted dangerous driving, having no licence and no insurance.

He asked for four sets of the same offences to be taken into consideration and pleaded guilty to handling the stolen motorbike, which had been taken from a rider training business in Cheshire in 2019.

Mr Recorder James Wood KC sentenced Place, who has previous motoring offences on his record, to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements, 100 hours unpaid work, £100 costs and a two-year road ban.

The judge said it was "deliberate, boastful offending which showed reckless abandonment to people in the community" and added: "This involved enormous speed, enormous risk to the public on multiple occasions."

Recorder Wood told Place: "These offences came to light when police seized your mobile phone and you had been recording yourself driving in a highly dangerous way, at great speed on your motorbike.

"No doubt recording, I am satisfied, simply in order to be able to boast about your unlawful and criminal actions."

He added: "There comes a time this kind of hell-raising has to come to an end."

Katie Spence, defending, said Place made the recordings out of "stupidity" and added: "He was impressed with the speed he had reached, an absolutely stupid thing to be impressed with, he accepts that."

Miss Spence said Place is a "family man" who has responsibilities and his phone had been seized following a row, which resulted in no action being taken.

She added that some of the recordings were taken on the same day last year and told the court: "He is incredibly sorry for his behaviour."

Place had told police during interview he had bought the bike "pretty cheap" as it "wasn't running right" but claimed he had not realised it was stolen.