A man has pleaded guilty to riding an illegal electric bike around a pedestrianised section of Swindon town centre. 

Devonte O’Brien, 20, of Hanbury Road, Park South, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance at Swindon Magistrates Court on November 6.

Mr Ballinger, prosecuting, said O’Brien was captured on CCTV during the afternoon of Tuesday, October 22 riding a modified illegal electric bike around Canal Walk, posing a threat to shoppers in the pedestrianised area.

(Image: Newsquest)

Police officers caught up with him to speak to him about the offence and he was taken to the police station for interview.

In mitigation, Ms Hillier said the case was “straightforward” and O’Brien held a provisional licence which had previously been clean.

O’Brien was ordered to pay a £125 fine, a surcharge of £48 and prosecution costs of £85.

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The Magistrate issued six penalty points on his provisional licence, but no separate penalty was given for the insurance offence.

O’Brien was jailed for six months last year after officers witnessed him throwing a machete over a garden fence on March 7, 2023.

He was also arrested earlier this year along with several other young men following a fight at the Steam Railway pub in Old Town after England’s Euros semi-final victory.

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