Biker sentenced after knocking boy, 8, unconscious

Bradford Crown Court heard that Bailey had written a letter to the court apologising for his behaviour

A biker who knocked an eight-year-old boy unconscious while doing a wheelie on his motorcycle before driving off from the scene has been spared jail.

Kirk Bailey pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving following the incident in Buttershaw, Bradford, in April 2023.

At Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday he was given a suspended prison sentence, banned from driving for 12 months and made the subject of a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

Sentencing Bailey, of Bishopdale Holme, Buttershaw, Recorder Anthony Hawks said the 22-year-old had been driving at excessive speed and was "showing off" when he hit the child, who had since fully recovered.

Bailey, who had written a letter to the court apologising for his behaviour, was also told by the judge he would have to attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and take part in an accredited programme.

As part of the CBO, Bailey will be banned from riding motorbikes or quad bikes in the Bradford district unless the fully insured machine is registered in his name, and he will be prohibited from wearing a face mask.

'No recollection'

Prosecutor Philip Adams had earlier told the court that before the collision with the boy, Bailey had started to wheelie down Brafferton Arbor on his motorbike while increasing his speed to about 25-30 mph (40-48 km/h).

"He travelled past about five houses before he collided with the victim who had walked out into the road while pushing his bicycle," Mr Adams said.

The court heard that the eight-year-old suffered a complex displaced fracture of his shin bone and as well as cuts and lacerations and was left with a tyre mark on his back.

The boy later had a plastic cast put on his leg, but after complications the injury had to be reset.

The court was told that Bailey, who had initially stopped at the scene but then drove off, had no documentation for the motorbike he was riding and neither he nor his pillion passenger were wearing helmets.

Recorder Hawks said of the victim: "Fortunately he has made a full recovery and because he was knocked unconscious he had no independent recollection of this incident."

The judge said the case fell on the cusp between careless and dangerous driving, and the latter would have led to a prison sentence.

He said having read a report about Bailey, and having taken into account the fact that he was working, it was appropriate to give him a six months prison term suspended for 18 months.

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