The man chased down and hit a boy riding his brother’s stolen motorcycle

A man crossed the road and hit a boy with a stolen motorcycle, causing him serious injuries. Jack Ball and his younger brother had been in a pub in Loughborough and the motorbike, which his 18-year-old brother had bought with money from their recently deceased grandparents, was parked outside.

It was equipped with a locator and while they were in the pub they noticed it was being moved. They rushed outside the pub to see a young man riding a bike and tried to give chase on foot and then called Leicestershire Police.

The police couldn’t attend, so Ball, 28, got into his Nissan Juke and went to track the bike using the locator. Two hours later he saw the bike coming towards him on Milton Street in the city and crossed the center line and the vehicles collided.

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At Leicester Magistrates’ Court, Monday Ball, of Paradise Close, Shepshed, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving. The court heard that the boy, who managed to flee the scene of the accident and later went to hospital and was arrested, had previous convictions at Leicester Youth Court for aggravated taking of a vehicle without consent, as well as having no insurance.

Describing the accident, which happened on Friday, November 3 at around 3.30pm, prosecutor Sukhy Basi said: “He saw the motorcycle being driven by the young man, who was wearing a helmet. The defendant crossed the white line and collided with the motorcycle.

“The young man got up and left and later went to Leicester Royal Infirmary and was treated for an injured hand, a fractured knee and a fractured ankle. Two sets of surgeries were required.”

Wayne Hardy, representing Ball, told the court his client had crossed the road in a “moment of madness” and the collision had left the motorbike badly damaged as well as Ball’s Nissan.

He said: “The bike was worth around £5,000 and had been bought by his younger brother. It was with inherited money from his grandparents who had just passed away, so it had sentimental value.

“The defendant did not want to damage his brother’s bike, which was effectively destroyed by the accident. His vehicle was also damaged and was not covered by insurance.

“He got on the phone with the police but the police didn’t come out and he decided to take matters into his own hands.”

He said the young man’s father contacted Ball the next day and that people had gathered outside his home, making him fear for his safety. He said: “He was very scared.

“He was very worried about what might happen to him and his family. He has already paid a high price.”

The bank’s chairman, Alistair Watson, told Ball: “Given the seriousness, this is over the threshold for custody. But we will suspend the punishment.

“This could easily have been placed in a higher category. I considered your guilty plea in due course.”

Ball received a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for a year. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £154 surcharge and was banned from driving for 12 months.