Call for more powers to tackle illegal bikes

A North East MP has called for the police to be given greater powers to tackle the ''scourge of balaclava clad criminals'' using illegal off-road bikes.

Speaking in a Westminster debate Darlington's Labour MP, Lola McEvoy, said the riders were showing ''a blatant disregard for the law, drug dealing in the street and carrying knives and weapons".

She said the region's police forces were playing a game of ''cat and mouse with the criminals" and needed to be given greater funding to tackle the problem.

''We need more powers and more action to make a difference," McEvoy said.

She said illegal off road-bikes were not the only problem as, increasingly, e-bikes and scooters were being illegally modified to make them faster and more powerful.

The debate in the capital was organised to specifically discuss the issues faced in the North East.

A number of local MPs attended the debate and were joined by Julie Francis in the public gallery.

Her mother, 86-year-old Gloria Stephenson, died in Sunderland last May, when 19-year-old Billy Stokoe knocked her over while riding an electric motorbike.

He had been taking cannabis and using a mobile phone when he hit the great-grandmother at a zebra crossing.

Gloria's daughter said the sentence of six years and nine months Stokoe received was ''an insult to her mum's life".

After the debate she said "action was needed now".

"Our police forces are doing their best but they don't have the money and resources to tackle the problem.''

McEvoy said it was no longer enough to confiscate and crush illegal vehicles.

She said: ''There needs to be tougher punishments for offenders and more money for community policing.''

Those riding illegal off-road bikes are often difficult to catch as their vehicles have no number plates, are not licensed and not registered.

Sarah Jones MP, minister for policing and crime, said after the pandemic there had been a big increase in anti-social behaviour involving bikes that had been difficult to keep on top of due to resources.

She said: "We need to make it clear to our communities there is a way to behave and consequences if people don't stick to the law."

Jones said the Home Office would look at the laws and legislations around these vehicles.

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