Street racers banned for 'drag racing' on Peterborough street

Street racers caught holding illegal 'drag-style' contests on a Peterborough road have been banned from driving for a year.
Tyre marks left in the road in 2015Tyre marks left in the road in 2015
Tyre marks left in the road in 2015

Four men were caught holding the illegal races on Royce Road, Fengate in October last year.

However, they were spotted by a police officer who filmed the event - and they appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court last week.

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The men - Colne Gonye, (21) of Jubilee Way, Crowland, Touis Liberts (30) of Epsom Walk, Corby, Myles Lowe (19) of Ancaster Road, Bourne and Kaspars Rascevskis (27) of Paston Lane, Peterborough, all pleaded guilty to one count of taking part in a race/speed trial between motor vehicles on a public way.

The court was told the races involved two vehicles in a 'drag style' race along the road from the Boongate McDonalds side of Royce Road, heading towards Perkins Engines.

The night-races started at 9.55pm.

All the men were banned from driving for a year, with Gonye fined £90, Liberts fined £96, Lowe fined £69 and Rascevskis fined £104.

They were all also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

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Speaking after the sentencing, a spokesman for Cambridgeshire police said: "We take anti-social and dangerous driving very seriously and seek to take action where there is risk to life or where crime has been committed.

“Driving in manners such as racing can be extremely dangerous for the drivers and passengers, as well as any bystanders.”

The road has had a history of problems with speeding drivers, and in 2015 members of the raised concerns someone would be killed on the road.

In 2015 Manjit Singh, vice president at the temple said: "It is on an industrial estate, and groups of youngsters are coming up in the cars and having drag races. “It is like something out of the Fast and Furious films. “Two cars are driven up and down the road at high speed.

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“You can see tyre marks on the road - they are so deep it looks like a lot of tread has been taken off the tyres. It looks like (dragster racing track) Santa Pod.

Following last week's convictions, Cllr Matthew Mahabadi, who represents the East ward, said: "It's shocking that they assumed they could engage in such a dangerous and reckless activity - to think of the possibility of a child running into the street when they were racing is dreadful. A 12 month ban is the least they should have been given - I would also have suggested confiscation of the vehicles used."