EXCESSIVE speeding remains an ongoing “problem” which blights the Island, a judge has said as an “outrageous” dangerous driver who rode his motorbike at more than 100mph around a popular beauty spot was warned he could have killed someone.
Andrew Manuel Carvalho Franco was caught speeding at 111mph along Route du Ouest, near Grosnez and the Les Landes racecourse in March.
His speed was “outrageous” and “wholly unacceptable”, the Magistrate’s Court heard.
The 29-year-old initially failed to spot the honorary police officer who recorded him.
Centenier Joao Camara, prosecuting, described in the Magistrate’s Court how honorary police officers were on patrol on Route du Ouest – a location picked because they frequently caught people speeding there and because cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders are “prevalent”.
Franco had previously admitted one count of dangerous driving and one count of failing to notify a change of address. A charge of speeding was dropped to form part of the more serious dangerous driving charge.
Advocate John Borg, defending, said Franco “accepts that his conduct was serious” and that he had co-operated with the police. There was no collision, injury, police pursuit, racing or weaving, he added, and conditions were “clear and sunny with light traffic”.
“This was a serious, but a brief episode of excessive speeding.”
The second charge, failing to declare a change of address, was “simply an oversight”, Mr Bord added.
Mr Camara’s comments were echoed by Relief Magistrate David Cadin, presiding, who told Franco that dangerous driving through excessive speeding “is a problem in this Island”.
He said: “The message needs to go out from this court that such conduct is wholly unacceptable. It has to stop before it destroys or blights the lives of more Islanders. The message needs to be understood that offenders need to be dealt with appropriately.
“Sitting back from it, this is an outrageous offence.”
“Right-minded members of the public” would be “horrified” at Franco’s speed at 6pm on a Thursday in March, Mr Cadin said, adding the motorcyclist “failed to observe” the centenier in a high-viz uniform.
“An accident at that speed would be very likely to result in life-threatening or fatal injuries for anyone involved,” Mr Cadin continued.
“Anyone seeing you travelling at that speed would be absolutely shocked and horrified and appalled.”
He credited him for his early guilty plea and remorse, but added: “Remorse only goes so far – this was a deliberate decision by you to ride your motorcycle dangerously.”
Mr Cadin said that as an alternative to prison, Franco would have to serve 170 hours of community service. He disqualified him from driving for three years and Franco will have to retake his test. Franco was also fined £250 for failing to notify his change of address.
In a statement, the police highlighted that high speeds “significantly increase the likelihood of death or serious injury to all road users”.
The force added: “Excessive speed reduces a driver’s or rider’s ability to spot and react to hazards, increases stopping distances, and reduces the protection offered by vehicle safety features and road safety infrastructure.
“A moment of poor judgement can have life-changing consequences not only for the rider, but for innocent members of the public and their families.
“We would like to thank Centenier Robert Hall and the wider honorary police for their continued dedication to keeping Jersey safe. Honorary officers volunteer their time to serve their parish communities, and their contribution to our Island is invaluable.”
Mr Hall added that the proactive approach taken by officers “prevented what could have had devastating consequences”.
“Road safety enforcement requires a significant amount of time, commitment and visibility, and often comes down to being in the right place at the right time,” he said.
“People often think they can take a chance, but it simply is not worth it. Travelling at 111mph in a 40mph limit is an extreme example of the dangerous decisions that continue to place lives at risk on our roads.
“The honorary police are proud to work alongside the States of Jersey Police Community Safety Team to help keep our roads safe. By sharing local knowledge, intelligence and information from the public, we can focus our efforts where they are needed most.”
