A Rainham motorcyclist who lost control of his machine after pulling a ‘wheelie’ – causing another biker to fall from her bike – was fined �4,000.

Leon Sudbury, 24, was travelling in convoy with other bikers when he lifted his front wheel off the road while accelerating from a roundabout on the A131, Essex, on April 11 last year.

Sudbury, from Pallister Drive, veered in front of another bike causing the rider - a 30-year-old woman - to fall off, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

The victim, from Braintree, was later treated in hospital for severe bruising.

The collision was filmed by a following rider who had a small camera mounted on his bike.

Sudbury pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was sentenced on Thursday, March 17.

He was disqualified from driving for a year and ordered to take an extended re-test; fined �1,015, and told to pay �2,250 compensation to the injured rider and �735 court costs.

He was also banned from using or owning a motorcycle for three years, under a community sentence.

Sgt Danny Parsons, of Essex Police’s central road policing unit - which investigated the collision - said: “On this occasion the rider has chosen to ride in a dangerous manner causing injury to the motorcyclist he collided with. It is only a matter of good fortune that his actions did not kill someone.

“We are pleased with the court’s decision to remove this individual from motorcycling for the next three years.”

He added: “As the weather improves and we see more motorcyclists using the roads I would remind those who choose to engage in unacceptable rider behaviour that they risk their own lives and the lives of road users around them.

“When offenders are identified they will be prosecuted and risk losing there licence and the right to use a motorcycle.”

To see the video of the incident go to: www.essex.police.uk/motorbike