Biker pays for damage by working on Knowle farm

A 22-year-old motorcyclist whose off-road riding caused £1,000 worth of damage to a farm in Knowle has paid for his crime – by becoming a farm hand for the day.

The man, from Hawkesley, was arrested by officers from Solihull Police in September 2013 after the farmer complained that the biker was trespassing on one of his fields but rather than wanting the man to appear at court for his actions, the farmer instead asked police if the biker could make amends by working on the farm.

PC Andy Timmins, wildlife officer for Solihull Police, said: “Speaking to the motorcyclist he seemed unaware that a field he thought was empty, unoccupied and a prime location for some off-road motorcycling was, in fact, farmland. He also seemed unaware that the grass he was riding over was being grown to feed the farmer’s animals and in just a few minutes nearly £1,000 worth of grass had been destroyed. But after spending the day on the farm he had a greater appreciation of the impact of his behaviour and wanted to encourage others to be mindful of the consequences their anti-social behaviour could have, affecting the livelihood of others.”

Read the full story here: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/biker-pays-damage-working-knowle-6779179.