Northwich motorcyclists in court after dangerous driving

Appearing in Chester Magistrates’ Court on September 27, Francisco Da Costa Marques and Jose Leite were sentenced and banned from the roads for various traffic offences.

Da Costa Marques pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and using a vehicle on a road without an exhaust silencer ‘in a good and efficient working order’.

The 46-year-old, of Flower Street in Northwich, had been driving dangerously through Littleton on a black Honda motorcycle on May 2 and continued this behaviour on the A51 Tarvin Road, A55 North Wales Expressway and the A483.

The court also heard how the motorcycle was fitted with an exhaust system with a silencer which was not maintained in an efficient working order.

Leite, 49, of Beeston Street in Northwich, was also travelling in Littleton on May 2 on a red and blue Honda motorcycle, fitted with an exhaust system with a silencer which was not maintained in good and efficient working order.

Leite was also charged with dangerous driving on the A55 Tarvin Road onto the A55 North Wales Expressway and the A483.

The court heard he pleaded guilty to these offences, as well as to riding the motorbike without a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of that class and failing to have its registration presented correctly on the rear of the vehicle.

Magistrates were told, ‘the plate failed to have any BSA or manufacturers markings and the letters and spaces were too small, measuring only 44mm high, 32mm wide and had gaps of 8mm’.

Taking both defendant's guilty pleas into account, magistrates sentenced them both to eight weeks, suspended for 12 months.

The reasons for the custodial sentences included, ‘exceeded speed, danger of injury to other road users, overtaking, and an extended period/distance’.

Magistrates suspended the sentences because of ‘previous good character’ and the ‘prospect of rehabilitation’ in both the defendant’s cases.

Da Costa Marques and Leite were also disqualified from driving for 18 months.