Disabled driver jailed for 121mph M1 dash

HE’D DOWNED HALF A BOTTLE OF BRANDY

A DISABLED drink-driver has been jailed after speeding at 121mph in his modified four-litre Lexus on the M1.

The dash-cam in Andrew Williams’ car recorded his driving over 18 miles, along the A50 and M1 from Derby to side roads approaching Watnall.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he hit a kerb on the A50, reached 80mph at one point, then joined the M1 and collided with safety barriers and weaved from side to side.

After this, he reached 121mph, crossed on to the hard shoulder, returned to the carriageway and headed through roadworks, restricted to 50mph limit, at 100mph.

Off the motorway, he narrowly missed colliding with a motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction when he veered on to the wrong ride in Willey Lane, Underwood.

Williams, 57, of Weston Park Drive, Shelton Lock, Derby, knocked over a lamp post, damaged hedges and stopped after he smashed into a tree, rolling his car over on a narrow lane.

Footage of his journey was played at Nottingham Crown Court as he was jailed for 18 months and banned from the roads for four years and nine months. Recorder Robert Spencer-bernard told him: “When you saw the video from your own dashcam, you expressed your horror to the police at what you saw.”

The judge said he had winced watching the footage, adding: “It is, in my judgement, probably the worst example of dangerous driving which has not resulted in injury or death to any other person. But, as your counsel concedes, that was good luck rather than good judgement”.

Williams received 15 months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving. Three months were added for drinkdriving after a test revealed 153 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, 73 over the legal limit.

The judge said Williams had “gone out, having deliberately swallowed half a bottle of brandy” - with his partner trying to stop him - and “there has to be a further sentence of imprisonment”.

Character references from members of his family spoke of how he prided himself in being a good, safe driver.

For him, Jonathan Hullis said: “The offences were totally out of character for him. Those close to him are completely shocked he drove in this way.”

Mr Hullis added: “He accepts it is only a matter of luck no one was seriously injured or killed in the way he drove.”

He said Williams could not explain why he committed the offence, other than that he was going through a particularly bad time with his metal health.