VIDEO: Reckless motorcyclist filmed standing up on bike and pulling wheelies on busy motorway is jailed

A reckless motorcyclist who was filmed by police pulling wheelies on a busy motorway has been jailed.
Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorwayWheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway
Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway

Pawel Zietowski, 27, was also caught on a police dashcam STANDING UP on his motorbike with his arms outstretched as he hurtled past horrified drivers on the M6 motorway.

He was filmed by an unmarked police Audi for 16 minutes as he used his thighs to steer the bike and even rummaged through a backpack to find a mobile phone.

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Officers from the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) stopped him between junctions 14 and 15 of the northbound carriageway, near Yarnfield, Staffs., at around 2pm on June 3.

Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorwayWheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway
Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway

Polish-born Zietowski, formerly of Harlow in Essex but currently living in Warrington, Cheshire, was jailed for eight months after admitting dangerous driving.

He was also accused of taking selfies and driving up to 117mph.

However the charges of speeding and using a handheld mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle on a road were withdrawn.

Judge David Fletcher said: “You were showing off.

Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorwayWheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway
Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway
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“It was clearly driving which was over a lengthy period of time, involving speeds of up to 117mph, involving you twice removing the backpack.

“You were pulling wheelies on a number of occasions and at one point you were

standing up with no hands on the handlebars.

“This was a piece of appalling driving.

Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorwayWheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway
Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway

“You say you were involved with some sort of group relating to stunt-type driving.

“If that is the case then there are places and times for that sort of stunt-riding to take

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place, that place is not the M6 at two o’clock in the afternoon with lots of other vehicles on the road.”

The court heard Zietowski was given a driving ban in a separate prosecution in July after being convicted of failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorwayWheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway
Wheelie stupid: The man stands up with his arms outstretched while on the bike on the motorway

During the hearing the court was shown footage of his antics as he rode his Yamaha R6 on the northbound carriageway of the M6.

Prosecutor Robert Price: “He followed it for 16 minutes.

“It seems plain that the defendant probably wasn’t aware that he was being pursued by an unmarked police car.”

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Zietowski, the court heard, arrived in the UK in 2013 to seek “economic betterment” and had formed a relationship with a woman living in Warrington, while he was working in the south-east.

Mr Price said: “He made the commute (using the M6) regularly.

“He has good prospects with a view to his own business being set up.”

Inspector Sion Hathway, from CMPG, said: "Such dangerous riding will not be tolerated on our roads.

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"Zietowski showed a blatant disregard for the rules of the road, and fellow motorists.

“His antics could have easily resulted in tragedy."

Zietowski, a car paint sprayer, was jailed for eight months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday.

He was also given a 28-month driving ban.