A teenager has been banned from the roads after riding a stolen motorcycle at high speed and crashing in St Leonards, leaving his passenger seriously injured.
Sean Hartnup, 19, was seen speeding along the A259 on June 28 last year, reaching around 70 mph in a 30 mph zone. He was carrying a passenger and attempted several dangerous overtakes before colliding with a car.
Police later discovered that Hartnup had no licence or motorcycle training, and that the Royal Enfield Himalayan he was riding had been taken without the owner’s consent a day earlier.
He appeared at Lewes Crown Court on October 2, where he admitted aggravated vehicle taking and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Hartnup was given an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation sessions. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and must pay a £187 victim surcharge.
Inspector Matt Wightwick, from Sussex Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said Hartnup’s actions showed a complete disregard for the safety of others.
He said excessive speed remains one of the biggest causes of serious road collisions and that the case should serve as a warning to other riders.
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