A pair of motorcyclists have been warned to respect rural roads, after riding at speeds reaching 120mph while being followed by police.

Craig Andrew Griffiths, 26, of Dwr Bach, Scleddau, and Liam Patrick O’Sullivan, 28, of Gwaun View, Fishguard, both pleaded guilty to breaking the 60mph speed limit by riding at speeds of more than 100mph, when they appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Wednesday.

The bench heard that PC Eleri Edwards was on routine patrol in an unmarked police car at 3.50pm on July 23, when she was overtaken by the bikers on the A40 between Wolfscastle and Fishguard.

PC Edwards followed them and saw them slow down through Letterston and then accelerate away.

She put her blue lights on in an attempt to stop them, and estimated the Yamaha and Suzuki bikes were travelling at around 120mph along the straight under Trecwn bridge.

Griffiths pulled into a layby and stopped after she switched on the car’s sirens, and stated: “It was stupid, I was going too fast.”

O’Sullivan was later identified as the second rider.

Maggie Hughes, defending Griffiths, told the court that the distance in question was only three miles, and road and weather conditions were clear and dry.

She said: “He has such a level of contrition and remorse that he did not ride the bike after the incident and immediately placed it up for sale.”

Mark Layton, representing O’Sullivan added that the traffic was described as ‘moderate’ that day, and O’Sullivan had not heard the sirens.

He said: “He was an experienced driver, it was a high speed, but it was not in a built up part of the village.”

Griffiths was fined £200, and O’Sullivan £290.  Both their licences were endorsed with six penalty points and they were each ordered to pay £85 costs plus a £30 surcharge.

The chairman of the bench said: “What you did was extremely foolish and serious.  Years ago there was a fatality on the Mathry road junction when a car suddenly appeared.

“You should not make light of the road in rural areas because these things happen so quickly.”