Speeding biker is spared jail after hitting pedestrian

A speeding biker who collided with a pedestrian while trying to evade police has been spared jail. William Bernado was “aggressively” riding a Suzuki GSR 600 and at double the speed limit when he careered into Julie Riddles in Tunbridge Wells, fracturing her thigh. Maidstone Crown Court heard Bernado did not have a licence and was therefore also uninsured when he hit Ms Riddles as she was crossing Mount Pleasant Road at about midday on April 9, 2022. Witnesses told police Bernado was “revving, accelerating and quickly going through the gears”, reaching 40mph in the 20mph zone.

Bernado, now 23 and a delivery driver of Priory Road, Tonbridge, subsequently pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

At his sentencing hearing on March 13, prosecutor Daniel Stevenson told the court that following his arrest Bernado admitted he had “accelerated hard” along Mount Pleasant Road “to get away” from a police car.

“He did so because he was concerned that the police would stop him,” said Mr Stevenson.

It was not until five months after the incident that police interviewed Bernado, with his first appearance in front of magistrates in mid 2023.

Kerry Waitt, defending, said Bernado was “a very different man” to the one who “foolishly and recklessly” injured Ms Riddles, and had since given up drugs and passed his driving test.

Mr Waitt added: “There is nothing that can describe the regret and remorse he feels every day for his actions and he takes full responsibility.” Mr Waitt urged the court not to “wreck another life” by sending him to prison immediately.

On deciding to impose a twoyear jail term suspended for two years, Recorder Sarah

Counsell said she had taken his guilty plea, previous good character, his maturity and the delay in court proceedings into consideration.

But she told Bernado that although he had now “changed his life around”, it was “catastrophic” for his victim that he had not done so before the day of the collision.

“She was a vulnerable pedestrian. You fractured her femur and that has had a lasting impact on her ability to run her business, to do the job she was trained to do, to live the life she was living before you collided with her.

“Her life is not going to be the same as a consequence of your selfish actions.”

Bernado, who faced a maximum sentence of five years behind bars, was ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation sessions and 240 hours unpaid work. He was also banned from the road for three years and ordered to take an extended test to regain his licence.