A NUISANCE quad biker has been jailed for 16 months for knocking down a mother after doing wheelies and swigging lager on the uninsured and unlicensed machine.

Andrew Bedford hit Shirley Dufton on the grass verge outside her home after riding the bike up and down Ravenscliffe Avenue, Bradford, causing distress and annoyance, on the afternoon of Saturday, September 24.

Mrs Dufton spent the night in hospital after suffering two black eyes, a cut to her face and bruising all over her body, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Bedford, 40, of Osterley Grove, Ravenscliffe, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, causing Mrs Dufton actual bodily harm, riding the bike without insurance and a licence and failing to provide a breath specimen at the scene and a sample of blood for analysis at the police station.

He was recalled to prison after being released in November last year from a three year sentence imposed at Leeds Crown Court in June 2014 for burglary with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Bedford’s criminal record also included multiple theft offences, aggravated vehicle taking, causing actual bodily harm and driving with excess alcohol.

Prosecutor Heather Gilmore said he repeatedly rode the quad bike up and down, on the road and on the pavement, while children were about.

He was revving the machine, doing wheelies and drinking lager from a bottle.

During a confrontation with a member of Mrs Dufton’s family, Bedford lost control of the bike which struck her from behind.

He was dragged off the machine and detained by people at the scene until the police arrived.

Bedford told officers he would never intentionally hurt Mrs Dufton, who had helped him in the past.

He claimed the bike moved forward and clipped her after he was hit by her son, Lee.

Bedford’s barrister, Lorraine Harris, said he was trying out the bike to buy it for his son.

He was “incredibly remorseful” about what happened to Mrs Dufton, who had been a good neighbour.

Judge Jonathan Rose told Bedford he should not have been on the uninsured and unlicensed bike.

“You caused, annoyance and distress and upset to other people,” he said.

Judge Rose accepted that Bedford did not intend to drive into Mrs Dufton but if he had not been illegally on the machine, it would not have happened.

He banned Bedford from driving for three years.

“You are not somebody who is fit to be on the road,” he told him.

Bedford told Judge Rose that the bike had since been stolen.