Biker who hit back of Land Rover after riding at 120mph sentenced

Witnesses told police he was “absolutely flying” as he “thundered past” them on the A168 near Dishforth at estimated speeds of between 100mph and 120mph.

As he approached a Land Rover travelling in the same direction, he failed to reduce his speed enough and his 1000cc Kawasaki ploughed into the rear of the vehicle.

The motorbike was thrown into the air and Woodward was flung from it.

An air ambulance was called to take him to hospital. His injuries have since been described as ‘life-chaning’. The other driver was traumatised but unhurt.

North Yorkshire Police investigated the incident, which happened on 6 February this year, and Woodward was prosecuted.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving when the matter reached court, and on Wednesday a judge at York Crown Court sentenced him to a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for a year.

He was also banned from driving for three years and will not be allowed a licence unless he passes an extended retest after his ban. The judge also ordered him to pay a £140 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the hearing, Traffic Constable Rob Roberts who led the investigation for North Yorkshire Police, said: “The way Woodward was riding on that day was frankly ridiculous. Although he has suffered life-changing injuries, it’s a miracle that he survived with his life and nobody else was seriously hurt.

“While it may be tempting to push high-performance vehicles to their limits, North Yorkshire’s roads are not the place to do it. People often don’t think of the consequences until it’s too late – consequences that include a criminal record, driving bans, custodial sentences and worst of all you could seriously injure or kill other road users. Anyone who thinks that’s a risk worth taking should not be on our roads.”