Several charges after Halloween ride out across south Leeds

There were several reports of motorbikes and quad bikes being ridden dangerously across south Leeds on Saturday, October 31, 2020.

The Leeds South neighbourhood policing team (NPT), along with the West Yorkshire Police roads policing unit and the Leeds district off-road motorcycle team, have been investigating what happened.

They arrested seven people involved and seized eight vehicles, including motorbikes and dirt bikes, at the time.

Suspects have now been charged with offences including: failing to stop for police; driving without insurance, careless driving, failing to provide a sample; running a red light, having false number plates and failing to wear a motorcycle helmet.

An NPT spokesperson said: "Working together we will keep the roads safe for our communities."

The 'ride outs' - usually involving groups of youths who ride off-road motorcycles through residential areas - have become an annual event on Halloween night since a large-scale ride out involving 100 people caused chaos across Leeds in 2016.

Several smaller-scale copycat gatherings have taken place on subsequent Halloweens, despite the ringleaders of the original rideout being handed jail sentences.

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