Notorious Andru-Jay Burgess back in jail after being caught driving illegally yet again

A 23-year-old from Corby who had just been released from a jail term for dangerous driving has found himself back behind bars after clocking up another two driving offences within two months.

Andru-Jay Burgess, of Westminster Walk on the Kingswood estate, was already subject to two driving bans when he drove a motorbike in Dunedin Road in April.

After being summonsed to court, he then got on board a bike again in Desborough two months later.

Burgess – who is well known to law enforcement in Corby – already has more than 20 convictions under his belt. He has previously admitted to being a crack cocaine addict and to ‘hanging around with the wrong type of people’.

Back in August 2020 he avoided a jail term after spitting at a police officer and burgling a commercial premises in Oundle.

Then in July last year he was given a two-year prison spell after swapping seats with his girlfriend while driving at speed on the A14.

He served half of that sentence including time on remand and was released earlier this year.

But on April 21 this year, officers working on hugely-successful Operation Pacify, which aims to slash the rate of illegal motorbike riding in Corby, spotted Burgess on an off-road bike in Dunedin Road. He was ordered to appear in court to face charges of driving while disqualified and without insurance.

But while awaiting the conclusion of that case, he again took to the roads. On May 16 he was spotted riding a green Kawasaki motorbike in Rushton Road, Desborough, again without insurance and a licence.

Then in July he was discovered in possession of cannabis in Corby.

On August 22 he appeared before magistrates to be sentenced for all five charges.

He was jailed for 16 weeks and disqualified from driving again for another three years.

Earlier this month his relative Connor Burgess was given a suspended jail sentence for riding a Kawasaki bike in Dunedin Road. Police managed to capture his ride on their hand-held video camera with gave them crystal-clear footage of his illegal activity to help them secure his conviction.

Operation Pacify officers have spent the past six months cracking down on Corby’s age-old problem of illegal motorbike riding on the town’s estates. They’ve managed to get convictions against many high-profile targets and have taken 29 bikes off the streets.

PC Mark Walker, who is leading on Operation Pacify, said: “Over the years, we’ve received complaints about the “nuisance” motorcycles which have plagued our communities - riding on playfields, on footpaths and on our roads.

“This is not only a nuisance - it is also highly dangerous. Not only are the riders putting their own lives at risk, but the lives of their pillion passengers, other road users and pedestrians.

“Since the launch of Operation Pacify, we have noticed a significant decline in the number of persistent illegal motorcycles being ridden in Corby, as well as a drop in reports from members of the public about such activity in their communities.

“We are now starting to see the results of Operation Pacify with some of the most persistent offenders pleading guilty to various driving offences in our courts, after being caught on camera by the team.

“However, there is no room for complacency and still a lot more work to be done, and we need to continue collating intelligence to give us the best chance to seize the motorcycles and deal with the riders appropriately.

“We will continue to actively crackdown on persistent offenders whilst at the same time positively engage with those who ride road and off-road motorcycles legally – which is important to fully recognise and identify the differences.”

Anyone with information about motorcycles which are being ridden illegally in their area should call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Or you can make a report online here.