A motorcyclist who reached speeds of 178mph before a fatal crash that killed his brother-in-law has been jailed for 15 months. Lewis Baker, 35, was also given a 10-year driving ban after admitting to dangerous driving at Aylesbury Crown Court.
The crash occurred on the A421 in Buckinghamshire in 2023, when Baker and his brother-in-law Jason Wallis, 31, were riding identical Yamaha R1 bikes. The two men were trying to pass a car, with Baker attempting to overtake and Wallis trying to undertake. Baker was badly hurt in the crash, breaking a thigh bone, while Wallis died.
The court heard that Baker had filmed their 40-minute journey and the subsequent crash on a GoPro camera attached to his helmet. The footage showed that Baker had reached a top speed of 178mph and was travelling at 120mph when the two riders crashed. Judge Jonathan Cooper described Baker's riding as 'as bad as it could be', saying he had 'flipped' round his number plate to avoid detection.
Baker had previously been cleared of causing Wallis's death by dangerous driving after a trial. However, the prosecution argued that the two men were 'drag racing' and that Baker's dangerous riding had contributed to Wallis's death. Baker's 15-month sentence is significant, given that he had no previous convictions and a clean licence before the crash.