Two men have avoided jail after being caught driving at 144mph on the A19 in North Yorkshire.
Daniel Scott Richardson, 21, from Batley was driving a blue Ford Focus RS closely followed by James Burrows, 26, of Methley, Leeds, driving a Silver Mitsubishi, Lancer Evo.
Both drivers were captured by North Yorkshire Police's mobile safety camera just after 12pm on 30 November 2013, driving at 144mph in close convoy with each other on the A19 southbound carriageway near Crathorne.
They have both been given four-month jail terms suspended for 18 months, and banned from the roads for three years.
Both men pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on 3 January 2014 and were sentenced at Northallerton Magistrates' Court on 28 January. They were also each ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and fined £85 and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge.
North Yorkshire Police's mobile safety camera manager Dave Brown said: "This sentence sends a clear message as to how seriously the criminal justice system takes such appalling driving.
"The evidence captured by the safety camera shows both vehicles travelling in close proximity at extremely high speed. Any error, no matter how minor, could have been catastrophic for the two drivers, their passengers and other road users.
"The safety camera operator at the time, was utterly astounded by the speed of the vehicles. Members of the public should be allowed to use the roads in safety and should not be put at risk by other, irresponsible and dangerous drivers. I hope our communities can see the value of the safety camera vans when cases such as these are detected and prosecuted.
"Our mobile safety cameras are there to help keep the roads safe for all road users and we urge motorists to bear this in mind, drive at appropriate speeds and within the speed limit and do not, under any circumstances use the roads as a racetrack."
Watch footage of the incident below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM3co8mFRpw
