Drink driver overtook police on M6 at 120mph

The officers were travelling at 70mph on the M6 when Kalraj Gill swept past them at the wheel of a BMW at 5.10am, close to the turn off to Walsall, a judge heard.

They started to follow the vehicle and got in front in a bid to block his path as the 29-year-old father of two tried to exit at Junction 7 but he outmanoeuvred them by throwing his vehicle into reverse, Mr David Bright, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Gill, from Walsall, rejoined the motorway and headed north at speeds of up to 120mph until he exited at junction 11 after managing to avoid another police car and sped off along the A460 Cannock road reaching 90mph in a 50 limit before overtaking stationary traffic at a roundabout before travelling back in the reverse direction.

He headed for the M54 where he used the hard shoulder to overtake other motorists before joining the main carriageway where he weaved through slower traffic until joining the M6 southbound where he reached 120mph again, continued Mr Bright.

Gill over, and undertook, two lorries and appeared to be leaving the motorway at junction 10 before pulling out at the last moment and continued to junction 9 where he did exit.

A stinger intended to burst the car's tyres failed to slow him down and he was soon heading along the Willenhall Road towards Wolverhampton where he went through two red lights before being boxed in by police vehicles.

Problem

Officers found a knuckleduster in the BMW and his drink-drive test gave a reading of 64 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, almost twice the legal limit of 35.

Mr Haroon Khattaq, defending, conceded: "He has a problem with alcohol misuse and is prepared to seek help. He wants an opportunity to redress his behaviour."

Gill, a former HGV driver from Birchover Road, Walsall with a previous conviction for drink driving, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and possession of an offensive weapon on September 13 last year.

Judge Jinder Singh Boora told him: "This was appallingly dangerous driving during a police chase which lasted for 21 miles. Somebody could have been killed,

"The reason why you drove like that was you were under the influence of alcohol. You have admitted going off the rails occasionally but when not in drink I do not think you are a danger to the public."

Gill was handed a 12-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months and banned from driving for two years.