Speeding biker who filmed death crash banned

A speeding motorcyclist who unwittingly filmed a fellow biker's death crash with a camera strapped to his petrol tank, walked free from court today with a ban.

Frederick Bowden, 42, was caught doing 156mph on his 1,000cc machine in Camborne, Cornwall last summer on a riding jaunt.

Beside him on 13 July was Andrew Prowse, 46, whom Bowden was filming with a camera mounted on his Kawasaki ZX10-R.

An inquest in March heard that Mr Prowse, from Helston, Cornwall clipped a car and was thrown under an oncoming camper van to his death.

Police found that his final collision 300 yards from the Loggan's Moor roundabout in Hayle was captured on Mr Bowden's camera which was still running.

Bowden, also of Helston, later pleaded guilty to a single charge of dangerous driving and was sentenced to a three-year ban by a judge at Truro Crown Court today. He was also given a 51-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was not charged in relation to his companion's crash.

Bowden's bike had a top speed of 180mph and can do 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds.

His 156mph speed on two dual carriageways - the A307 and the A30 in Tolvaddon - is the fastest ever clocked on the Devon and Cornwall force area.

Mr Prowse's inquest in Truro this year heard that off-duty policeman James Gallienne stopped at the scene and could hear the accelerating bikes over the sound of his car radio.

Mr Prowse was dragged down the road by the van, he told the hearing.

The officer said in evidence, reported by the Plymouth Herald: "I could see a small video camera mounted on the fuel tank of the black bike - I could see it was still running."

Bowden said he "couldn't really remember" what speed his friend in front was doing, adding that he was badly injured after coming off his own bike.

The DVD of Mr Prowse's fatal ride showed that he started to brake at 94mph, slowing to 76mph at the point of collision.

Coroner Barrie van den Berg recorded a verdict of accidental death.

After the inquest Mr Prowse's father Gerald told the Herald: "Andrew is a grave loss. He is very sadly missed. We don't blame anyone for what happened."

Daniel Nicks, 34, became Britain's fastest speeder in 2000 after he was clocked at 175mph on a Honda Fireblade motorbike in Hertfordshire.