Jail for 'wrong way' M-way driver

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/bristol/7642705.stm

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A man who drove the wrong way up the M49 and M4 at speeds of up to 100mph (160km/h) has been jailed.

Michael Connors, 48, was followed by police after a distraction burglary at the home of an 85-year-old woman in Portishead in February 2008.

Connors drove up the slip road of the M49 and travelled in the wrong direction before doing a U-turn and driving the wrong way on the M4.

The judge jailed the "latter-day outlaw" for two years and seven months.

Judge Julian Lambert said: "It was a miracle no-one was killed." Connors would stop at nothing to get away. He had no regard for other road users and just wanted to get away whatever the cost Sgt John Cockerham, Avon and Somerset Constabulary

Connors, from Nottingham, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop and driving without insurance.

For those offences he was jailed for two years and seven months.

Two other men had leapt from the Silver Mondeo as Connors drove towards the Second Severn Crossing.

Peter McCann, 27, from London, pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed for 21 months.

The other man was never caught.

Video released to the BBC showed Connors driving the wrong way on the M4 in his silver Ford Mondeo

The pursuit was co-ordinated by a police helicopter.

Patrol cars on the ground were directed to where they could safely intercept the car.

One police officer involved said it was a miracle no one had died.

"It was the worst case of driving I've ever seen in my career and the most dangerous pursuit I've been involved with," Sgt John Cockerham said.

"Connors would stop at nothing to get away. He had no regard for other road users and just wanted to get away from officers whatever the cost."