A dangerous driver who crashed a stolen motorcycle in the middle of a busy town centre, narrowly missing pedestrians and children, has been jailed. Ciaran Parker was riding a stolen Kawasaki 300 motorbike in Pelton when he was spotted by a police motorcyclist at around 10.30am on April 2. Ignoring the officer’s blue lights and demands to stop, Parker sped off towards South Pelaw, riding at speeds of around 60mph in a 30mph zone and without a helmet. The 20-year-old was pursued by the officer as he continued to ride dangerously, overtaking vehicles at junctions, driving over the speed limit, riding on the wrong side of the road, and over a pedestrian crossing when the crossing light was on green. As he approached Chester-le-Street town centre he failed to give way at a junction, forcing a bus to stop, before riding down a pedestrianised section of Front Street in excess of 40mph. Parker then lost control and came off the bike, which skidded down the road, narrowly missing a mother and her children who were out shopping. Parker sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment and a police investigation was launched. Officers confirmed the bike had been stolen from a back yard of a house in Stanley just hours earlier at around 1.20am that day. A drug test also found Parker had cocaine and cannabis in his system at the time of the collision. He was later charged with several offences, including aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving without insurance, and driving while under the influence of drugs. Parker, of The Avenue, Pelton, pleaded guilty to the offences and appeared at Durham Crown Court on Thursday (February 13) where he was sentenced to 14 months in a Young Offender Institution. Detective Constable Michelle Leonard, from Durham Constabulary’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This was an incredibly dangerous piece of riding from Parker. “He rode recklessly, at very high speeds through residential areas, often on the wrong side of the road, before crashing the bike in the middle of a busy town centre – it is a miracle nobody was seriously injured, or worse, killed. “We welcome the sentence that has been handed to Parker today; I hope it sends a clear message that driving dangerously, without a licence, and under the influence of drugs can have catastrophic consequences and that those who choose to do it will be brought to justice.”