Mini-moto biker arrested ‘after riding in Coventry with toddler perched on knee’

A biker was arrested after being filmed by a police helicopter riding an off-road motorcycle with a toddler perched on his knee.

He was spotted on Sunday (May 24) as officers from West Midlands Police targeted anti-social bikers across the region.

The man handed the two-year-old child to family members after realising he was being watched from above before speeding off in a failed attempt to outrun the helicopter, according to police.

He was arrested near Old Church Lane, Longford, where the bike was seized.

Police have issued him with a Notice of Intended prosecution for careless driving and riding a bike in a dangerous condition.

Police say referrals have also been made to child services due to the potential harm the child was subjected to on the bike. 

The Traffic Unit had additional police bikers out over the long weekend looking for anti-social louts riding off-road bikes illegally on roads and grassland.

They seized a total of nine bikes during the operation.

Traffic Sergeant Mitch Darby said: “It’s hard to believe anyone would expose any child, let alone their own, to such danger. The child was balanced precariously on the rider’s lap, obviously with no helmet or protective clothing, as he rode across grassland.

“It doesn’t bear thinking about what could have happened had he lost control or the child fallen from the bike. Apparently the bike was a birthday present – but we’ve now seized it and will be looking to crush it. Bikes like this cannot be ridden legally on public land; they can only be ridden on private land with the landowner’s permission. And they cannot be ridden on our roads.

“We will continue our offensive against illegal off-road bikers throughout the summer. We know they are the bane of our communities and people want us to take action. I hope operations like this show we’re listening and acting on their concerns.”

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Source: Coventry Live