A MOTORCYLIST who sped away from police officers in Carlisle panicked because he knew he was carrying cannabis and a knife, a court heard.

Police began pursuing 23-year-old Charlie Stark after seeing his orange motorbike overtake a moving car "at speed" as he travelled northwards along Kingstown Road in north Carlisle, magistrates heard.

At one point, he sought refuge in a car park before continuing to flee. Police finally caught up with the defendant on the A689 near Houghton.

At the city’s Rickergate court, Stark, of Percy Road, Longsowerby, Carlisle, pleaded guilty to five offences, all linked to the pursuit on March 25.

Those offences were:

  • Drug driving, when he had more than twice the legal limit of the active ingredient for cannabis in his system.
  • Careless driving on Kingstown Road and Cooper Way, Carlisle.
  • Possessing a bladed article – a lock knife – in a public place with no lawful excuse.
  • Failing to stop when required to by a police officer
  • And possessing Class B cannabis.

Prosecutor Pam Ward said that when the police officers activated their blue lights and siren on Kingstown Road and began following the defendant’s orange motorbike, he sped away from them.

He first turned on to Kingstown Broadway before moving on to Parkhouse Road via a roundabout. Still attempting to evade the police, he rode on to Cooper Way, where he began riding around a car park.

“He left the car park by squeezing [the motorbike] between two hedges, across and pavement and then out of the industrial estate,” said Mrs Ward. Stark was finally detained after he turned off the A689 and on to the road to Houghton.

A probation officer who interviewed him told magistrates: “He just panicked.

“He knew that he had cannabis in his bag and just took off. He called himself an absolute idiot. He has shown genuine remorse.”

A tyre fitter by trade, the defendant could benefit from working with the Probation Service to address his cannabis use, she said. Mark Shepherd, defending, said the defendant recognised that his actions that day had been “incredibly foolish.”

The lawyer said he had spoken with Stark about how knife carrying could lead to situations quickly escalating and resulting in serious injury or even death.

Magistrates said the most serious offence was the knife possession, which attracted a starting sentence of six months custody. But they noted Stark’s mitigation and his remorse and his cooperation with the authorities.

They imposed a 12-month community order, with 10 rehabilitation activity days, focusing on his cannabis use and temper control. He was also banned for 23 months for the drug driving and must pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

As punishment, the defendant must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.