21-year-old Patrick Douglas, who crashed into a 17-year-old girl on his illegal electric motorcycle in Ryde High Street, has pleaded guilty to a number of offences – and has been warned he faces prison time.
Douglas, of the upmarket Fishbourne Lane, appeared before Magistrates on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday (29th July) charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without a licence, driving without a licence and not wearing protective headgear.
It relates to an incident on 5th January this year, as exclusively revealed by Island Echo. It was at around 20:10 that evening that Douglas was captured on camera speeding up the pedestrian section of the High Street in Ryde – at approximately 34mph – before colliding with a pedestrian and then fleeing the scene on foot.
He appeared to be more concerned about his bike than the injured pedestrian, whom he left lying injured on the floor.
The court heard how Douglas – with a pillion passenger on board – struck the 17-year-old girl as she walked up the road. She was rushed to hospital and had a CT scan conducted on her, but was later cleared with minor injuries.
Lauren McConnell, prosecuting, told Magistrates that Douglas was identified through police enquiries. When he was arrested, the 21-year-old man full admissions.
He has no previous convictions.
The case has been adjourned for sentencing on 3rd October, with a pre-sentence report from Probation requested.
Douglas has been handed an interim driving ban in the meantime.
PC Beeson 28278, from Ryde Neighbourhood Policing Team, has said:
“The incident on Ryde High Street caused a lot of concern in the local community, and I hope these guilty pleas can provide some reassurance that we have acted and secured justice for the victim.
“This could have had far more severe consequences, fortunately the victim was not seriously injured. The recklessness shown by Douglas, and the cowardice in leaving the scene and making no effort to take accountability in the immediate aftermath of the collision is shocking.
“I hope this serves as a reminder of the consequences of using any vehicle recklessly in public. Not only do you risk seriously harming someone, but you place yourself at risk and could end up with a criminal record.”
E-Bikes should be banned!
In law that isn’t an ebike, it’s a motorcycle.
I agree that electrically powered bikes are motor vehicles and have the safeguards as engine powered vehicles.
Electrical assist bikes are very useful and limited to a sensible speed like pushbikes are fine.
Anything that goes along on the flat or uphill when you aren’t peddling isn’t a bicycle.
As an old hack, I have to wonder why the reporter felt it necessary or useful to inform us that the accused comes from ‘ upmarket’ Fishbourne Lane.