A TEENAGER who rode an elderly motorbike in a dangerous condition has been banned from the road for a year. And 19-year-old Matthew Easey will have to take a re-test at the end of the ban imposed by Ely magistrates. Easey, of Ely Road, Little Thetford, ha

A TEENAGER who rode an elderly motorbike in a dangerous condition has been banned from the road for a year.

And 19-year-old Matthew Easey will have to take a re-test at the end of the ban imposed by Ely magistrates.

Easey, of Ely Road, Little Thetford, had admitted dangerous driving, and on Thursday was also told he must carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work, and pay £60 court costs.

At an earlier hearing, the court heard that the E-registered Kawasaki ZX400 had a long list of defects.

Prosecuting on Thursday, Emma Dmitriev said police saw Easey riding the motorbike along the A142 at Ely with a pillion passenger, and he was stopped.

"Easey thought it was a joke, and not serious at all," said Mrs Dmitriev. "He has now had time to think about the danger he posed to other road users, by taking a bike like that out on the road."

Easy had no licence, insurance or MoT for the machine, she added

Easey told the court: "I wish I had never done it now, I was a bit stupid, I didn't realise how bad the bike was at the time, I had bought it just a week earlier."

"You fell into the age-old trap of bragging to your mates and off you went on the motorbike," said presiding magistrate Hamish Ross. "Our concern is to safeguard other road users. We hope you will learn the error of your ways and come back as a responsible driver.