Belfield man jailed after killing friend

Wayne Boland

A 22-year-old man has been jailed after killing a friend of his while riding a stolen motorbike.

Wayne Boland (born 14/11/1985) of Eafield Road, Belfield, pleaded guilty on 1 April 2008 to death by dangerous driving, driving with no insurance and driving with no licence.
He was sentenced on Friday 25 April to four years and six months in prison. He was also disqualified from driving for five years.

23-year-old Craig Brierley died after the Yamaha motorbike Boland was riding hit him on Belfield Road on Tuesday 30 January 2007.

Boland and Brierley had both been riding around on the motorbike earlier that day after Boland had bought it for £90 a few days earlier.

The men had been drinking and smoking cannabis. Witnesses reported that Boland was seen doing 'wheelies' around the estate. Neither of them was wearing helmets.

Just before the collision, Brierley was seen to step out in front of the motorbike as Boland was riding towards him.

Brierley suffered serious injuries in the subsequent collision. Boland, who had fallen from the bike, initially remained at the scene but then panicked and fled, hiding the bike behind a nearby off licence.

Craig Brierley suffered serious internal injuries to his liver and lungs in the collision. The impact also broke both his legs.

He was taken to hospital and underwent emergency treatment to his injuries. However, they were too severe, and he died a few days later on Thursday 8 February 2007.

After the collision officers searched the nearby area and recovered the stolen motorbike.

It was a blue Yamaha DTI125cc that was registered to another Rochdale man. He had reported it stolen on 16 January 2007.

On the day that Craig Brierley died, Boland handed himself into police. He was charged with the offences above in July 2007, after an extended police investigation.

Constable Steve Grayson said: "The tragic death of this young man shows how dangerous riding these bikes without great care and responsibility can be. Quite clearly, they can be lethal machines when used foolishly. I hope that the sad loss of this young man at the hands of someone he would have called his friend will send a strong message to anyone else who thinks riding motorbikes in this way is clever or without risk."