A manhunt is under way for an illegal motorcyclist who terrorised a woman walking her dogs by riding his bike along the pavement directly at her and injuring one of the dogs in the process.
The incident took place in St John’s Road on Monday (5 May) around 6.40pm.
The biker, who was wearing a balaclava and no helmet, had spotted that the woman was filming his illegal riding and so continued to the end of the street before turning round, mounting the pavement and racing directly at her, swerving only at the last moment before hitting her.
However, is was too late for the victim’s dog, which was hurt as the biker hit her on the way by, injuring her leg.
Footage of the terrorising biker was posted to a local Facebook page in an effort to identify the perpetrator, with many reacting in horror and disgust at his actions.
Another mentioned that the same rider had been seen in South Church a few days earlier and shared a still of dashcam footage showing the rider wearing the same clothes, riding erratically and with a passenger on the back.
The dashcam footage shows that the bike is the same as the one in Monday’s incident and that the rider and his passenger were both wearing balaclavas and no helmet.
Another commenter mentioned seeing the same bike in Eldon: “[It]came out of the street on the east side of the railway bridge with no regard or thought for what was on the road,” they wrote.
Yet another added: “They rode past me the other night along Middleton road and he was doing a wheelie. Another was following behind.”
Many comments expressed sympathy for the injured dog, prompting the victim to provide an update: “Tess is ok thankfully!,” she wrote.
“Still a little stiff and sore and a little timid but shes a tough one for sure. Thanks everyone for your kind words and concern!”
If anyone has any information to help police with their enquiries, they can call 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
