Biker jailed for son's 122mph ride

Judge Phillip Wassall told Robert Bennett, 47, that police footage of the incident in north Devon is "unbelievable", and also banned him from the road for 18 months after he admitted dangerous driving.

Exeter Crown Court heard Bennett, 47, from Barnstaple, was caught by a police camera on the A361 link road with his son - who was not wearing protective trousers or gloves - clutching the back of the pillion seat with his bare hands.

Bennett, who was divorced from the boy's mother, had just picked him up from his mother's for a visit in April last year.

He had opened the throttle because it started to rain but a police officer sitting in a van activated the camera when he heard the bike accelerating towards a bend and the device clocked the speed.

Bennett's barrister David Sapiecha said his client had ridden at that speed for no more than half-a-mile on the 60mph two-lane carriageway.

Mr Sapiecha told the judge that Bennett had been riding bikes on and off road since he was a youngster, but regretted his actions that day.

He is likely to serve half of the six-month sentence but will have to take an extended driving test at the end of his disqualification.

Judge Wassall told him: "Had you lost control the motorcycle would have become a missile and it is certain there would have been a serious accident or highly probably the death of a least one other road user.

"Added to that fact you had your 14-year-old son on the back. The lack of responsibility is unbelievable. This is so dangerous that the court cannot avoid a custodial sentence, to send a message out."