Cannabis smoker crashed stolen motorbike while being chased by police

A blundering motorbike thief lost control and crashed into a wall while trying to escape from police. Harley Scamp had stolen the Honda CBR from an address outside Folkestone before a patrol noticed him riding suspiciously. The 19-year-old drew attention to himself by suddenly mounting a pavement, turning the motorcycle around and accelerating off.

But as officers gave chase, Scamp, a cannabis smoker, lost control of the bike and crashed in Wear Bay Road, before fleeing on foot. With officers unable to trace the suspect, they launched a drone and discovered him concealed in a nearby garden shed. Scamp, of no fixed address, was this month sentenced at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court after admitting his actions.



Neil Sweeney, prosecuting, said: “Officers were on the A260 Dover Road, Folkestone, and they saw the motorcycle and thought he was trying to get away. “(It) raised their suspicions and the rider then mounted the pavement and accelerated away. “Due to his behaviour, the officers thought the bike might be stolen, so started to pursue it.

“But he then lost control of the bike and crashed it and then made off on foot.” When Scamp was discovered in an outbuilding, officers placed him under arrest and conveyed him to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, officers working to establish the facts of the case learned the bike had been stolen the day before.

Mr Sweeney showed magistrates images of the damage caused to the bike. The court heard Scamp had previous convictions for robbery and affray, for which he had been handed community orders, still in place during his latest round of offending. Following his arrest on February 22, Scamp was charged with aggravated vehicle taking, driving without due care and attention, driving without a license and insurance, alongside failing to stop when required by a police officer.

He admitted the offences when he appeared in court on February 24, where sentencing was adjourned to allow a pre-sentencing report to be carried out. Scamp returned to Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on April 2 to learn his fate. When appearing in the dock, he gave an address of Sidney Street, Folkestone.

Emma Wright, defending, told the court her client had attended all required probation appointments but stated there had been an issue with an unpaid - and currently uncompleted - work requirement. Urging the bench to hand down a community order rather than a custodial sentence, she said: “He was in care for the entirety of his young life and is now sofa surfing. “He takes cannabis to get to sleep as temazepam (tablets) didn’t work for him.

“He suffers with anxiety and there was no value for the damage to the bike. “But he knows compensation will be asked for and he knows he’s got to pay. “He’s a sofa surfer and homeless, his father has passed away and he’s recently reconnected with some of his cousins, but has no contact with his mother.

” Magistrates placed Scamp on another community order for the aggravated vehicle taking and driving without due care and attention offences. The order will last 12 months, whereby he must complete five rehabilitation sessions and attend 20 mental health sessions. He received no separate penalty for the other offences but was told his licence would be endorsed.

Scamp was also banned from driving for 12 months and must pay the bike owner £500 in compensation. He will pay at a rate of £20 a month as he is in receipt of benefits..