Video: Passenger throws smoke grenade at police camera van in North Yorkshire

The Vauxhall Corsa where Jake Sarup was sat in the back seat

Jake Sarup, 22, of Foxholes near Driffield, threw the device while sat in the back of a Vauxhall Corsa travelling along the busy A64 towards Scarborough.

The grenade struck the rear of a North Yorkshire Police safety camera van which was carrying out speed enforcement at the time.

The smoke resulted in reduced visibility on the A64 and posed a potential safety hazard to other road users, North Yorkshire Police said. Footage captured by the safety camera van shows the effects of the grenade on visibility.

The smoke grenade was thrown on the busy A64.

Sarup pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance in relation to the offence on September 6 last year and was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work at York Crown Court today.

Traffic Constable Andy Forth, who attended the sentencing said: “North Yorkshire Police fully supports the prosecution of Sarup. To throw a lit smoke grenade out of a moving vehicle, onto the busy A64 carriageway, was both irresponsible and dangerous.

“It could have resulted in not only a major collision due to the reduction in visibility on the road at that time, but also in damage to property or injury to any other person nearby.”

Dave Brown, Traffic Bureau Manager said: “This deliberate and irresponsible act could have had catastrophic consequences to innocent road users on the road and the court result imposed reflects that public safety concern.”