Police impound teenager's motorbike

A TEENAGER'S motorcycle has been impounded by police, using new legislation giving them power to seize vehicles being used to cause danger and annoyance.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th May 2003, 14:15 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 21:34 BST

Police have been inundated for weeks with complaints from harassed householders about youths riding motorcycles on Sidley recreation ground and surrounding roads.

The youngsters are under-age and uninsured and are riding untaxed machines without wearing crash helmets.

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Section 59 of the Police Reform Act, 2002 gave police authority to seize vehicles which are being used to cause "harassment, alarm or distress."

Inspector Max Mosley warned via the Observer when the legislation came into force that police locally would not hesitate to use their new powers where necessary.

The problem at Sidley recreation ground came to a head at the weekend when motorcycling youths disturbed a football match.

Police are required to issue a formal warning before action is taken. The legislation covers both the user and the vehicle.

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Sergeant Trish Reeve-Fowkes said that a 14 year-old youth was formally warned on Bank Holiday Monday for riding an uninsured and untaxed motorcycle while under-age.

Details were also taken under the Act about his machine.

The Sergeant said that on Tuesday police returned to the area where another teenager was seen riding the same machine.

The motorcycle was seized by PC Rob Shaw. Contractors employed by police took the machine and put it in their locked pound.

Sergeant Reeve-Fowkes said it was the second time the new legislation had been invoked in Bexhill and that in practice the new powers had proved extremely effective.

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The owner can recover the machine - but only on payment of a 100 recovery fee plus storage charges.

"Yesterday alone we had seven or eight different calls in relation to motorcycles being ridden by youths, mainly on Sidley recreation ground but also on ground near North Road.

"In effect the recovery charge amounts to a fine. They can have it back - but only if they pay the recovery fee plus storage.

"We keep it because it is causing a problem. But if they pay the fee and get the bike back we can seize it again if they cause alarm, harassment or distress with it."

Related topics:PoliceTeenagerMax MosleySidley