A POLICE officer in a patrol car reached speeds of 144mph while trying to catch up with a motorcyclist and a car driver who had driven past him on the Liskeard bypass at excessive speeds, magistrates heard on Tuesday. Before the court was Mark Lee Thompson, 35, who admitted driving without due consideration for other road users and speeding. He was fined £125 for each offence and his licence was endorsed with five penalty points. Ron Butler, prosecuting, said the motor patrol officer had been at the junction between the bypass and the B3252 Looe road, using a VASCAR unit to monitor traffic speeds on the A38 on the afternoon of August 14 last year. He became aware of two vehicles, an Audi car followed by a motorcycle, travelling so closely together that the VASCAR unit simultaneously recorded a speed of 93mph for both vehicles. The officer was concerned that they had been so close together as to be dangerous and went after them, reaching speeds of 144 mph before he caught up and stopped them, although it was not suggested the pair had been driving at the speeds reached by the police officer, added Mr Butler. Thompson, of Little Oaks, Penryn, had been driving the motorcycle and the Audi was driven by Karl Sadler, of Liskeard, who had earlier admitted similar offences and been fined a total of £270 with £35 costs and his licence endorsed with five points. Terry Eastwood, defending, said Thompson was on incapacity benefit at present but was hoping to be signed off and to obtain work in the near future. The roads had been reasonably clear at the time of the offence and he had come up behind the Audi and followed it until it pulled over to let him past. There was no suggestion he had reached the speeds achieved by the pursuing police officer.
