A MOTORCYCLIST tried to flee the scene of a drink drive crash which left his friend lying injured in the road.

James Harrison of Rose Avenue, Tolladine, Worcester admitted drink driving when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Friday.

The 25-year-old after crashed his Kawasaki motorbike at around 9.40pm on October 7 last year as he and his passenger were thrown off the bike.

At the court he further admitted having no insurance and riding otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

A blood test revealed 166mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood (the legal limit being 80mg).

Adrian Jones, prosecuting, said an officer arrived to find the road totally blocked with a male ‘lying in the middle of the carriageway, motionless but conscious’.

He said the public restrained someone on the floor who was later identified as Harrison.

He said: “They had seen the male riding the motorcycle and attempting to flee the scene. He gave a positive breath test and was arrested.”

Witnesses had seen the bike being ridden ‘at speed’ by Harrison with another male riding pillion and initially believed it was going to collide with another vehicle before he lost control of it and crashed Mr Jones told the court.

Mr Jones said: “The defendant stood up and got back onto the machine and told him (the passenger) ‘police will be here soon. Come on. Let’s go'.

"Mr Shire (the passenger) was injured in such a way he was unable to get back onto the motorcycle and remained at the scene.

“As the defendant was trying to ride away he was stopped and restrained by members of the public.”

He told police he was the owner of the bike and a provisional licence holder and was repairing the bike in order to sell it on.

Harrison said he could not recall much about the crash itself.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said: “Mr Harrison kicks himself in relation to this. He buys, tinkers with, does up motorcycles and sells them on.”

He said Harrison had been sharing some alcohol with Mr Shire when he had a phone call from someone who wanted to have a look at the bike with a view to buying it.

“Foolishly he thought ‘if someone is about to buy it I better make sure it can start'.

He takes it for a spin because it would be embarrassing if someone turned up and he could not get it to start.”

Harrison and his passenger were taken to hospital to be checked over.

Magistrates banned Harrison from driving for 18 months but offered him a drink drive course which will shave 18 weeks off the ban if he completes it successfully by March 24 next year.

He was also fined £120, his licence was endorsed for the no insurance and he was fined a further £120.

No separate penalty was imposed for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

He was also ordered to pay £135 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.