Man banned after 100mph street race in Peterborough

Benito Schiavi (29) put lives at risk – including his own –when he smashed the 40mph speed limit in the race, which took place between two vehicles on the A15 between Werrington and Glinton.

Schiavi appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he was found guilty at a trial of taking part in a race between motor vehicles on a public way.

He had denied the charge.

The court heard Schiavi and another driver, who has not been named, took part in the race at about 10.15pm on May 11, 2019.

The court heard that: “The defendant took part in a race or trial of speed between vehicles on the A15 Werrington Parkway, Peterborough in that as the vehicles entered the section on the A15 between Davids Lane and Glinton, the two vehicles began to race each other, reaching speeds well over 100 miles per hour on a road which is subject to a speed limit of 40 miles per hour.”

Chair Magistrate Robert Jackson gave Schiavi, of Bourne Road, Morton, Bourne, a one year driving ban, and ordered him to pay a £750 fine, costs of £650 and a £75 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the case, Werrington North councillor John Fox described Schiavi’s actions as ‘stupidity.’

He said: “Anyone doing something like this wants their head examining.

“Why would you do this - it is just stupidity.

“The speed limit is the law, and it is the law for a reason - to keep people safe.”

Cllr Fox said he had not been aware of a big problem of anti-social driving on the stretch of road.

Last year Cambridgeshire police introduced a number of measures to stop anti-social driving across the city, following reports of high speeds and dangerous drifting.

Dispersal orders covering a large area of Peterborough were put in place on a number of weekends over the summer to keep drivers and other road users safe. The measures gave police the power to move people on from an area where they suspect their behaviour is anti-social.

To report anti-social driving to police visit https://www.cambs.police.uk/report/Report-Shared/Report-anti-social-driving-without-video-evidence or https://www.cambs.police.uk/report/Report-Shared/Report-anti-social-driving-with-video-evidence