Two grandparents who were innocently strolling along a busy footpath after a Hull City evening football match were suddenly “knocked over like skittles” after a dirt bike crashed into them from behind.
The rider, Luke Scaife, suddenly fell from his bike after being challenged by police just seconds before the unsuspecting couple was recklessly hit as they walked along with their family.
It was just pure luck that they “thankfully” suffered no serious injuries. Scaife had a “terrible day” and “doesn’t know what was going through his head at the time”. He had no idea what had “possessed him” to ride the motorbike on the footpath with so many people around, Hull Crown Court heard.
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Scaife, 25, of Morpeth Street, off Spring Bank, Hull, admitted dangerous driving, having no insurance and having the wrong class of driving license on April 10.
Nigel Clive, prosecuting, said Scaife was riding a dirt bike on a pavement in the busy area of ​​Anlaby Road, West Hull, at about 10pm.
Hull City were playing a football match that evening and the crowd was leaving the stadium. A family including grandparents enjoying a night of football were near the flyover and walking past the bus depot.
Scaife, riding a dirt bike, arrived to meet his grandparents on the sidewalk. “The police tried to catch this defendant as he drove through the crowds,” Mr Clive said.
“The defendant was not in favor of stopping and shortly afterwards he got off the motorbike. Scaife went to the rear of the pair.
“It was either him or the motorbike, maybe a combination of both, that rear-ended them,” Mr Clive said. “They were both knocked down. The defendant knocked them over like skittles.”
“It’s very fortunate that they weren’t more seriously injured. It could have been a lot worse, but luckily it wasn’t.”
“The officers were very close and tried to catch the defendant but he got away. They saw him a short distance away.”
The speed of the motorcycle was estimated at 5 to 10 mph. “One would have expected a much more serious injury if the speed had been higher,” Mr Clive said. The two people affected were left shaken.
Grandpa had a cut on his hip and his neck was stiff and his arm hurt from the impact of the fall to the ground. His injuries were still painful. His wife was shaken and later said that the consequences could have been much more serious.
“The defendant said in interview that he was in a bit of a mood because he was at work,” Mr Clive said. “He wasn’t insured. He didn’t have a driver’s license. He didn’t have any bike training at all.”
“He only had an off-road bike, but he took it on the road to clear his head. He seemed sorry in the interview.”
Scaife has been convicted of 12 previous offences, including assault and possession of cannabis. In 2021, he was jailed for six months for assaulting the police, including kicking and spitting at officers who tried to arrest him.
Hannah Turner calmed down and said: “What a stupid mistake that was. He expressed his sincere regret. He doesn’t know what was going through his mind at the time.”
Judge Mark Bury replied: “Well, not much of course. I don’t know what possessed him.”
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Miss Turner said: “He realized he had to shake up his ideas. His appearance at this justice center really scared him.” Scaife took steps to change his life and gave up cannabis. He used to work as an electrician but was now working part-time. He had a new girlfriend.
Scaife told the court: “I just had a terrible day. It was a big mistake and it will never happen again. I don’t know what was going through my head.”
Judge Bury told Scaife: “You can’t be behaving like this. Before you were locked up last time you were a regular cannabis user and in prison you decided to give it up. Good decision. You need to stick with it.” .
“You were having a bad day and then you stupidly decided to get on your dirt bike and ride around. You got off your bike and into the back of two people who were heading home. It could have been a lot worse.”
The couple could have hit their head after the accident and could have remained dead. “You would be looking at a long time in prison,” Judge Bury said. “It was incredibly stupid behavior.
Scaife was given a 10-day rehab and thinking skills program. He was banned from driving for one year and will have to pass an extended test before he can legally drive again. A seizure order was issued for the bike.
“If you come back here you will have to have your bag packed – so don’t come back here,” Judge Bury said.