Teenage tearaway filmed himself riding motorbike through Leeds at more than 100mph
A teenager who dealt in stolen vehicles filmed himself riding a motorbike at more than 100mph with a pillion passenger and without a helmet.
Reo-Leigh Hardwick was jailed at Leeds Crown Court today for a spate of crimes, including the handling of stolen vehicles, dangerous driving and a burglary in which a car was stolen.
He was also given a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning him from riding motorcycles.
The 18-year-old appeared in court over a video link from HMP Doncaster, where he has been held on remand.
He was caught out after police traced adverts to sell stolen cars and motorbikes back to him.
It included a Augusta Brutale bike worth £10,000, a Porsche Boxster and a BMW worth around £42,000 together.
Hardwick, of Mardale Crescent, Seacroft was also involved in the theft of a Honda motorbike from outside of Sainsbury’s in Moortown on April 11, 2024. He was part of a gang that used an angle grinder to steal the bike, but it was fitted with tracker and later recovered.
A burglary also took place at a property on York Road in the early hours of November 25 last year in which a window was smashed and the keys to a Nissan Juke worth £6,800 were taken. Hardwick’s DNA was found on the brick used to smash the window.
Having been arrested, they found footage on his phone that showed him taking videos of himself in March of last year, driving a car travelling at 90mph on a 30mph road.
In addition, there was the video on the motorbike reaching 101mph, pulling wheelies and weaving in and out of traffic.
The videos were taken in the Seacroft / A64 area, prosecutor Robert Galley said.
Hardwick admitted four counts of handling stolen goods, three counts of dangerous driving, two thefts and one burglary.
Mitigating, Oliver Connor said that all but two of the offences were committed when he was a youth, which should be considered.
He told the court: “He understands the severity of the position he finds himself in and understands the overwhelming likelihood of immediate custody.”
He said it was Hardwick’s first stint in custody and added: “It has made him realise it’s not a place he wants to be.”
Judge Neil Clark gave him 23 months’ detention in a young offender institute.
The CBO not only bans him riding motorcycles, he is banned from wearing face coverings in public, be in possession of any bolt cutters or other articles related the theft, and bans him from being the company of five named associates.
If he breaches the order, he is likely to be fast-tracked back to prison.