A MOTORCYCLE-MAD teen went the wrong way round a roundabout on an uninsured moped after he spotted police, Swindon Youth Court heard.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named because he is under 18, had been fingered weeks earlier for riding a friend’s motorbike without a licence and insurance.

He told magistrates: “I just get excited when I see motorbikes. I don’t really think.”

Prosecutor Nick Barr said police had been called on July 20 last year to reports of youths clashing in Walcot.

Those involved scarpered on motorcycles and push bikes as soon as police arrived. An off-road motorcycle was later found dumped on Shrewsbury Road, near Buckhurst Park, and officers were able to identify the rider from CCTV.

On August 13, police were patrolling Broadgreen when they saw a motorcycle with no lights riding down Manchester Road. The rider was not wearing a helmet or protective clothing.

The boy spotted police and made off towards County Road. He went the wrong way around the roundabout at the junction with Manchester Road, narrowly avoiding a member of the public.

Police lost him as he sped off to the County Ground car park but he was later spotted on Shrivenham Road.

A police dog found the boy hiding in undergrowth near a cycle path.

Appearing before Swindon Youth Court yesterday the east Swindon boy, who was 15 years-old at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to two counts of driving without a licence and two counts of driving without insurance.

Emma Thacker, defending, said her young client loved motorcycles – and had done from a very early age.

On August 13 he had just bought a bike of his own, having borrowed the money from a friend.

She said: “He bought that bike so he could use it, do it up and tinker with it.

"He made a poor decision and that was to ride the bike without lights or a helmet."

A month earlier he had borrowed a bike from a friend so he could ride it.

Ms Thacker told magistrates: “These are silly offences. He holds his hands up to that.”

Asked by the justices why he had taken to the road, the boy said: “It was just out of excitement.

"I just get excited when I see motorbikes. I don’t really think.”

The boy is still at school but said he has dreams of becoming a plumber when he is older.

Magistrates fined him £40, banned him from the roads for six months and ordered his mum pay £106 in costs and surcharge.