Police have released nail-biting footage of a high-speed car chase in which a driver speeds the wrong way down the UK’s busiest motorway.
In what Derbyshire Constabulary has described as one of the most dangerous driving incidents they’ve ever witnessed, audacious motorist Mark Jones tried to flee from officers at top speeds of 120mph before making a U-turn in front of other terrified motorists.
Jones was sentenced last Friday to 16 months in prison at Derbyshire Crown Court. He also faces a five-year driving ban.
During the video, filmed by the North Midland Helicopter Support Unit, the 28-year-old drives the wrong way down the M1 into oncoming traffic.
Cars and lorries try to stay clear of the Vauxhall Insignia during the chase which lasted 40 minutes on 18 March this year.
The lawless driver can also be seen colliding with several cars and ramming police vehicles while trying to weave through traffic.
In one part of the video, Jones exits the motorway and drives over the speed limit through a suburban street while overtaking another driver on a mini roundabout.
Eventually a traffic jam on the A38 to Ripley allows police to detain him as he is blocked from driving any further.
In the final moments of the clip, police can be seen holding the driver down with what appears to be a Taser gun above him.
Officer PC Mark Hallam, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: “This was probably one of the worst cases of dangerous driving Derbyshire has ever seen. He rammed several police cars, did a U-turn on the motorway and drove at ridiculous speeds on the hard shoulder.”
According to police, the court imposed no separate penalty on Jones for using a vehicle without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with his licence.
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