Fun day terror as biker hurtled through park

Families forced to scatter in panic

Families with young children at a summer fun day had to dive out of the way of a motorcyclist who careered through a city centre park.

Samuel Hart rode his motorcycle dangerously close to hundreds of people enjoying themselves at the Friends of Dudhope community fun day in August last year.

Hart, 24, entered through the north gate on his motorbike with a female passenger sitting behind him.

He made his way along a footpath, before heading to the popular concrete skate park, which, at the time, had as many as 150 young skate boarders, roller bladers and BMX riders using its jumps and ramps.

Witnesses said Hart, who had only a provisional driving licence, drove through the skate park, with users scrambling to get out of the way.

After riding over the skate park obstacles, he lost control and he and his passenger tumbled off the vehicle.

People who had been forced to evade him rushed to check if he was injured but Hart walked off towards a nearby tent which had a DJ playing music in it, helped himself to a drink, and disappeared.

Police were called and his passenger, who was still in the park, was questioned.

AfterofficersestablishedHarthadbeen riding the bike, he was arrested weeks later and questioned at a police station.

He told police he had been skateboarding at the park and following further questioning said he had ridden a motorcycle, but could not really remember, as he had not slept for several days.

Depute fiscal Isma Mukhtar told Dundee Sheriff Court: “There was play equipment and obstacle courses set up in the park as the fun day was going on.

“Around 2.50pm the accused was seen riding the motorbike on the footpath within the park at speed and it appeared he was trying to gain entry to the actual skate park.

“The motorbike continued to be driven in to the skate park and down the middle while people utilising the park had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by the bike.”

Hart ,of Hilltown Court, questioned whether his driving had been dangerous because no one had been injured.

But he pled guilty to a charge of dangerous driving and another of driving without insurance.

He was fined £500 and disqualified from driving for 16 months.