The anti-social menace of young idiots blighting our roads on quad bikes and motorbikes has plagued our district for far too young.

These idiotic boy racers cause fear and havoc to other motorists and have no regard for other people’s wellbeing and safety.

So action by the police to tackle the problem is very welcome, if not somewhat overdue.

Officers say they are going to get tough on the riders who flout the law, and will use powers to seize and destroy bikes whenever they deem it necessary.

But the opportunity to send a much stronger message was perhaps missed by the judiciary yesterday when a judge decided not to jail on offender who drove dangerously around Bradford on three occasions.

Despite Judge Rose warning ‘idiot’ rider Matthew McDonald that he could see no circumstances in which he could avoid imposing a prison sentence, he then suspended it, saying he was giving him one last chance.

However, he also ordered him to do 200 hours unpaid work and banned him from driving for two years, both of which will in themselves be strong deterrents for young men who persistently behave like this.

What has to get through to young people who persistently commit these type of offences is that our community will not tolerate it and they will face strong punishment.

Only a few weeks ago, a baby was hurt in an accident involving a quad bike.

The selfish idiots who simply ignore the needs of other road users need to be stopped before another innocent party is more seriously injured – or worse.