A 'BUCKET list' motorcyclist used false number plates on his Yamaha MT-09 that turned out to belong to a stolen vehicle, heard Skipton Magistrates Court.

Karl Dawson, 59, was on his way home to Leeds from the Lake District on his Yamaha street motorcycle during the evening of September 2 last year when he was stopped on the A65 at Coniston Cold by police who had laid tyre spikes across the road, having been alerted by a sighting of a suspected stolen vehicle.

Dawson pulled up before crossing the spikes and told police the vehicle was not stolen, but that the registration plates were clones, the court heard today (Friday).

 A roadside drugs swipe test was positive, he was arrested and taken to the police station where a blood sample was taken and later showed he had seven microgrammes of the cannabis by-product, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in one litre of blood. The specified limit is two.

Dawson, who was not a fully qualified driver and held only a provisional licence, admitted drugs driving, the fraudulent use of a registration mark, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and with no insurance.

In mitigation, Keith Blackwell said Dawson had suffered ill health for some time and had devised a 'bucket list' some years ago which included riding a motorcycle. Following a second heart attack he had decided to accelerate his bucket list by taking a trip to the Lake District, despite having only a provisional licence and having only taken his theory test, although he had learnt to drive a motorbike, off-road.

"Unfortunately, the false plates on his bike belonged to a legitimate motorcycle that had been stolen that very day. Whilst he clearly should not have have done what he did, he did drive in a very conservative way," said Mr Blackwell.

"He was on his way back from the Lake District, having completed his mission, when the police intervened. He made a full and frank admission to the police and deeply regrets what he has done."

Mr Blackwell added that Dawson's last remaining bucket list mission was to jump out of an aeroplane. "I have advised him against it, as with his luck, the parachute probably won't open," said Mr Blackwell.

Dawson, of Holtdale Fold, Leeds, was banned from driving for 16 months, fined £140 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £56.