WATCH: Dangerous Motorcyclist Banned After High-Speed Brighton Pursuit

Friday, 25 February 2022 06:30

By Jade McLean

A motorcycle rider who performed a dangerous manoeuvre in front of police before riding away at high speed in Brighton has been disqualified.

Giacomino Morrone rode past officers on the Lewes Road in Brighton at around 8pm in April of last year.

He flipped up his registration plate and did a wheelie as officers looked on from an unmarked police car.

When approached by police motioning for him to stop, he sped off, heading south in Lewes Road past the University of Brighton.

Footage from his own helmet camera and the police's dash cam recorded him speeding though a red light at over 90mph swerving between vehicles, reaching 80mph in a 20mph zone at Elm Grove and reaching speeds in excess of 105mph.

Police described events that led to the motorcyclist's arrest:

He was pursued to the A27 and to then to Lewes, but his riding was so reckless that police had to call off the pursuit.

Morrone thought he had got away, but a check of his motorcycle registration captured on police ANPR cameras revealed his home address, and officers went there to arrest him.

When they arrived, they found him still in the same clothing and helmet as before, and the seized helmet camera footage showed his dangerous riding at high speeds during the incident.

Morrone, aged 24, a security guard, of London Road, Burgess Hill, appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on February 17 where he admitted dangerous driving and drug driving.

In custody he gave a blood sample which later tested positive for 3.9 microgrammes (mcg) of cannabis per litre of blood. The legal limit is 2mcg of cannabis per litre of blood.

He told officers that he was a recreational user of the drug, but hadn’t realised it would still be in his system.

Drug-driving is one of the main factors in why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

Morrone was sentenced to a six-month suspended prison sentence and was given an 18-month disqualification from driving.

He must take an extended re-test before he is allowed to ride or drive a motor vehicle on our roads.

The court ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work in the community and complete 12 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions (RAR). He must also pay £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.