A JUDGE has demanded to know why police failed to arrest three young motorists caught on camera “pace-setting” for a motorcyclist who later admitted dangerous driving.

At Carlisle Crown Court, Judge Paul Lawton was shown hair-raising video footage filmed by 21-year-old Aaron Luck as he rode his Suzuki motorbike dangerously on narrow Lake District roads.

After seeing the footage, the judge said the defendant had treated public roads like a “race track”. Luck’s own helmet camera footage showed him trying to outpace his friends as they drove Nissan Micras.

The defendant reached a top speed of 130mph and at times performed “wheelies” and rode one-handed. The footage clearly showed the three Nissan Micra cars being driven by his pals.

After imposing a suspended 12-month prison sentence for the “prolonged offence” Judge Lawton demanded a written explanation from Cumbria Police for why the motorists involved were not prosecuted.

Gerard Rogerson, prosecuting, said that police had provided him with a “disappointing” confirmation that the motorists involved were neither arrested nor questioned. “I think the public would... find it negligent,” said the judge.

Outlining the offence, Mr Rogerson said police became involved when Luck was involved in a minor crash at Caldbeck Common on May 16 last year. Officers seized Luck’s helmet-mounted GoPro camera - and found footage of his dangerous driving earlier that day.

“Mr Luck performed a number of stunts,” said Mr Rogerson, describing how the defendant was out with three pals, each driving a Nissan Micra, whose number plates were visible in some footage.

The video showed the group driving “in convoy” on the B5289 between Keswick and Borrowdale.

Luck repeatedly did “wheelies”. On the A66 near Bassenthwaite, Luck reached 125mph, at one point riding one-handed while overtaking as he glanced backwards.

In an earlier in the clip, the defendant is seen being overtaken by a Nissan Micra as his friends carry out the role of “pace-setters”, said Mr Rogerson.

Of the failure to prosecute the car drivers, Mr Rogerson added: “It’s slightly unfair this young man finds himself the only man in the dock.”

Luck admitted dangerous driving, accepting that riding one-handed at 130mph while looking over his shoulder was “extremely dangerous. He said he was “under pressure to show off.”

Jeff Smith, for Luck, from Croft Place, Penrith, who has never been in trouble before, accepted that it was a miracle neither the defendant nor anybody else was hurt.

His £2,000 motorbike - never reclaimed by Luck - had been crushed by the police. “He now doesn’t have a motorcycle,” said Mr Smith.

“That was a decision not only by him but also by his mother, his sister and his stepfather.” Luck was now more mature, added Mr Smith.

Judge Lawton told Luck it was obvious why he crashed on Caldbeck Common: “It was because you were riding round the roads of the Lake District as if you were in an Isle of Man TT race.”

He and his friends set out that day to race and show off. The judge suspended the jail term for 18 months and told Luck he must do 200 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation days.

e was given a two-year ban and must pass an extended test before being allowed to ride unsupervised. The judge told Luck: “You have come within a whisker of going into custody.”

Cumbria Police said officers had investigated Luck's actions and viewed the footage from his camera, identifying his offences and seeing the other vehicles which were involved.

A spokesman said: “The Constabulary takes the comments from the Judge very seriously and will look to re-examine the evidence with a view to identifying any further offences that may have been committed and will progress them as appropriate.’’