A BIKER has been banned from the roads after blasting past a horse and its rider at 104mph.

Garry Wilkinson, 41, was caught in a North Yorkshire Police speed trap in the 60mph limit Escrick Road, at Stillingfleet, near York on his Yamaha bike.

Wilkinson, a builder, admitted speeding at about 6.25pm on June 27 when he appeared before Selby Magistrates’ Court and said he was “truly sorry”.

Sandra White, prosecuting, said: “It is extremely fortunate for road users that the horse did not react to the defendant’s motorbike, as no doubt there was a lot of noise from its motor.

“The pictures also show him travelling along a windy road at a speed of 104mph, and that could have had very serious consequences had he not been able to negotiate round bends.”

Wilkinson told magistrates he had looked to slow down when he saw the horse and rider, and said he had not been travelling as fast when he went round bends in the road.

“I don’t know what to say. I know I have done wrong,” he said.

Wilkinson told the court his business would be affected if he lost his driving licence. He was disqualified from driving for 70 days, fined £360 and told to pay £45 in court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Presiding magistrate Christine Dennis told him: “This was a horrendous speed, on a bendy road with a horse nearby, and frankly you ought to have known better at your age.”

Police said Wilkinson’s actions were particularly shocking as motorists are expected to slow down when they pass animals to avoid startling them.