Motorcyclist hit speeds of 'up to 120mph' before crashing into back of Land Rover

Stephen Neil Woodward, of Sowerby, Thirsk, suffered serious injuries when he ploughed into the back of a Land Rover.

Witnesses said he had been "absolutely flying" on the A168 near Dishford and estimated he had been travelling at speeds of between 100mph and 120mph.

They said he "thundered past" them before crashing into the back of the 4x4 on February 6 this year.

As he approached a Land Rover, which was 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-changing’. The other driver was traumatised but unhurt.

Woodward, 30, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at court, and on November 6, a judge at York Crown Court handed him to a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for a year.

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.”