A man from Rainham has been jailed for a serious crash at an illegal motorbike street race that left a woman with life changing injuries.

Billy Boom, 24, of New Zealand Way, was jailed at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, March 15, for three years for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Dozens of members of the One Life Bike Life group met at the Manorway in Corringham on the evening of June 14, 2017.

At around 9pm, Boom was performing a wheelie on a black Yamaha TMax when he struck another motorbike, a green Kawasaki KX 125, which was crossing the carriageway.

Boom fled the scene on the back of a quad bike while four other men, Daniel Trott, Nicholas Morris, Michael Holmes and Sonny Waites, put the motorbike in the back of a white Ford Transit van.

The rider of the Kawasaki, a woman in her 20s, suffered serious injuries.

She had to have her left leg amputated above the knee, suffered a compound fracture of her left hand and wrist, a collapsed lung, broken bones in her lower back and a bleed on the brain.

In a personal statement read to the court, the victim shared how her injuries have changed her life forever.

Boom flew out of the country to Spain four days after the incident. He returned to the UK on July 14 and was arrested the following day.

He had been identified as the rider of the Yamaha through forensic eveidence left at the scene and video footage of the event.

Following media appeals for information, Holmes, Morris, Waites, and Trott were identified as being involved in the clear-up.

WhatsApp messages were also found discussing the collision which indicated that Boom was responsible.

Boom’s motorbike has never been recovered but police traced and recovered the van, which had been sold to an innocent person.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop at a collision, failing to report a collision, driving with no insurance, and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence at a hearing in August 2018.

Morris, 23, of Kings Park, Canvey Island, Holmes, 27, of Penrith Road, Romford, Trott, 26, of Lambs Lane South, Rainham, and Waites, 19, of Upminster Road North, Rainham were all charged with assisting an offender.

They initially denied the charge but on the first day of their trial on February 11 they pleaded guilty.

In addition to his three-year sentence, Boom will have to take and pass an extended driving test.

Morris, Holmes, Trott and Waites were sentenced to eight months each, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 120 hours unpaid community service work.

Senior investigating officer Sergeant Peter Swan, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Billy Boom’s actions have left a young woman with injuries which will affect her for the rest of her life.

“His riding was reckless and the fact he then fled the scene was cowardly.

“Morris, Holmes, Trott, and Waites’ actions were calculated and showed they cared more about covering up the incident than the welfare of the victim, which is completely reprehensible.

“All five have at least admitted their guilt meaning the victim has not had to re-live her ordeal through a trial.

“This incident highlights the dangers of illegal cruising and street racing events. They are dangerous and can have devastating consequences.

“It is not worth the risk of attending or participating in these kinds of events and just because you’re watching rather than taking part, it doesn’t mean you’re not in harm’s way.

“I want to praise the victim’s bravery throughout this process and hope these convictions will provide her with some solace.”