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A motorcyclist who posted footage of himself on YouTube performing "lunatic and grossly irresponsible manoeuvres" at up to 130mph was today jailed for 12 weeks today.
Sandor Ferenci, 28, performed wheelies, skids and raced on the opposite side of the road around Banbury, Oxfordshire, and then put the footage on the video-sharing website.
Ferenci, a carer, then inadvertently spilt the beans to police about the YouTube footage after being reported by a member of the public who saw him performing wheelies and other stunts on his Yamaha R6 bike on the A422 Banbury to Brackley road on June 10 this year.
When officers called at his home after the complaint, and before they had a chance to say anything to him, Ferenci asked them: “Is this about the YouTube video?” Police then discovered that he had posted the video clips of himself on the internet.
The footage, which was played to the court, had been filmed by a friend from various angles including from a footbridge. It shows the bike performing wheelies, wheelspins and skids, causing the tyres to smoke, the bike undertaking other vehicles and driving at excessive speed.
Brian Payne, prosecuting, said it was impossible to attribute an exact speed at which Ferenci was driving, but police have estimated he may have reached up to 130mph.
Judge Terence Maher - disqualifying Ferenci from driving for two years at Oxford Crown Court and ordering him to take an extended driving test before he is allowed on the road again - told Ferenci that he had carried out “lunatic and grossly irresponsible manoeuvres at considerable speed”.
Sgt Bryan Smith, of Thames Valley Police, said: "It's important to qualify that we are talking about public roads and they are there as a transport network, not a race track or show ground.
"It's incredibly dangerous. A trophy video has been used on the internet and it could incite other road users to behave in the same way."
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He's probably less dangerous than many of the old fools with diminished eyesight and reactions who weave hesitatingly all over the road . Believe me I know what I'm talking about because I have now joined their ranks whereas I was once much faster , more skillful and moreover much safer !
Peter Tapper, Bedford, UK
Jailed for this?? I ride daily to get to work, in all weathers. Sure he was going some, and wheelies can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, but I didn't see anything in this video that could be classified as dangrous riding. Due care and attention with some points, at most, surely??!!
Steven, London,
Only in the Nanny State where they cant jail real criminals. Sure he's a bit of a hooligan but clearly he can ride. There was no footage of him screaming through pedestrian crossings or knocking down kids. Take away his licence for a period, but jail?!
Ricky lawrence, cape town, South Africa
when we see someone act in a way we dare think off, what do we do? tell the police who spend, who knows how many man hours spend in the process ofsending this man to jail. oh we can't bear but be miserable. take a more positive view of life. tell him off and get on with proper business...!
John, Ilford,
It's a good thing we have all this CCTV and speed cameras, after all look what good they were..........
Andrew, Orpington, UK
How's this different to police cars racing down the motorway at 3am in the morning just for the sheer thrill of it?
Now then, how many arrests and prosecutions have they made for those responsible for causing 93% of all accidents, ie. those that aren't caused by speed?
Zero?
Laura Roberts, London, UK
good to see the police can still solve major crimes in the uk huh guys? good collar... now how about all the unsolved knifings and murders?
barry, chesham, uk
@alan What did he do wrong? How about the following: he endangered the lives of countless innocent people whom he could have hit at any time. At 130mph speeds, death or serious injury would have resulted for any parties unfortunate enough to be hit. Personally, I'm happy he's locked up.
John , London,
He is a pretty good rider, what did he do wrong ?
If he makes a mistake, the danger of crashing offers a far greater punishment than any the court can meter out so why make bikers face double jeopardy, just for having a bit of fun.
alan handle, london, uk
If this guy wants to behave like this let him take to the track where the men are soon sorted out from the boys Then he might stop getting 'real' bikers a bad name Let me enjoy my GSXR 750 responsibly.
Ray, Barnstaple, UK
How long has he been jailed for?
Ian, Solihull, UK