Motorcycling menace in high-speed police chase

A motorcycling menace rode on footpaths, a children's play area and a football field during a high-speed police chase in the middle of the day.

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Peter Smith also clocked speeds of more than 100mph on the A189 Spine Road, in Northumberland, and undertook cars by travelling on pavements during the 10-minute pursuit.

The 37-year-old, who has an appalling record for motoring offences, was on a suspended sentence at the time and was also a banned driver, managed to eventually evade the police but his bike and clothing were found abandoned in an area of Cramlington, a court was told. He was later identified from DNA found inside a glove, prosecutors said.