Motorcyclist leads police on 130 mph chase, records it on his helmet camera

A motorcyclist led police on a 130 mph chase that stretched 33 miles from Bishop Auckland to Wallsend, recording the pursuit on his own helmet camera. The incident began after a police officer signalled him to stop in wet conditions, but the rider accelerated away instead, prompting a high-speed pursuit through busy roads.

The rider, identified as Dean Bruce, of no fixed address, was spotted by PC Simpson driving at high speeds and was signalled to pull over. Bruce, who was riding without a licence, without insurance and with cloned number plates, had just left a petrol station when the chase started. The pursuit, captured on Bruce’s helmet-mounted camera, showed him weaving between cars and glancing repeatedly at his rear-view mirror as he attempted to outrun officers. The motorcyclist dumped his helmet, jacket and the camera at an address in Wallsend when the chase was halted for safety reasons.

The pursuit intensified as Bruce approached red lights and drove on the wrong side of the road in parts, including a one-way section due to roadworks that forced officers to mount the curb to keep pace. As the chase continued onto the A1(M), Bruce reached around 130 mph, nearly double the national speed limit, and later rode down the center of the Tyne Bridge, weaving between oncoming streams of traffic. The incident was closely tracked by North East Air Support (NPAS) helicopters, which followed him through urban streets toward Wallsend.

After the pursuit, Bruce was arrested in Wallsend. Investigators found he had been driving without a licence, without insurance, with false number plates, and in possession of cannabis. He appeared at Durham Crown Court earlier this month, where he pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced to 15 months in jail and a 31-month driving ban. In a statement on social media, Durham Constabulary described the helmet-cam footage as a reminder of the danger posed by reckless riders and pledged continued efforts to remove dangerous drivers from the roads. PC Simpson said Bruce’s actions were a reckless gamble with the safety of motorists and pedestrians alike. "Dean Bruce selfishly decided to gamble with the safety of everybody else on the road that day," he said. "We’re committed to getting these people off the road, and we’ll use all the tactics at our disposal – including stingers, contact and helicopters – to do so. Don’t take your chances. Pull over and accept the consequences of your actions."