Burgess Hill police driver admits driving carelessly

Colin Campbell Shaw McBryer, 46, from Burgess Hill, was visiting the Isle of Man for the TT races when he was spotted by an unmarked police motorcycle. The court heard McBryer, of Greenlands Close, who wants to transfer to his force’s roads policing team, was followed by the undercover police bike along the TT course between Sulby and Ramsey.

Prosecutor Mary Kelly said the unmarked bike was following a group of motorcyclists along the A3 on May 28.

“Police saw a group of motorcycles near to the Bishopscourt section of the TT course. A Triumph motorcycle overtook the police motorcycle then overtook several others as well,” she told the court.

Mrs Kelly said police saw the bike on several occasions moving over the white line across the centre of the road.

“The motorcycle overtook several others heading towards Ramsey and at Kerromoar it pulled across the carriage way then overtook another motorcycle going through the bend at Glen Tramman,” she said.

Mrs Kelly said McBryer’s Triumph continued overtaking other vehicles at Sky Hill and Milntown before being stopped by police at Ramsey Hairpin.

McBryer initially denied riding carelessly but admitted it at his court appearance on Thursday.

His advocate Ian Kermode said his client was qualified as a VIP escort motorcyclist and worked as an examiner for RoSPA.

“He was positioning himself attempting to look ahead and if a vehicle was approaching he went back into his side of the carriageway. He was positioning himself to get a better view but his riding on that stretch was not perhaps the most prudent in the context of the TT fortnight. No vehicles coming towards him were in danger and he did not inconvenience any other road users,” he said.

Mr Kermode added there had been no accident and the defendant had stuck to the speed limit. He said his client was instrumental in setting up the motorcycle road safety campaign run by Sussex police.He added McBryer was well throught of professionally and a driving ban would have a catastrophic effect on his life and career, but points should not be an impediment.

“He is applying to join the roads policing unit but if he is banned that’s the end of that, and he would be dismissed from RoSPA too,” he said.

Noting McBryer had not been speeding, the chairman of the Douglas magistrates’ bench said he had fallen short of his own standards. He was fined £500, must pay costs of £500 and his licence was endorsed with six penalty points.