Man took police on high speed chase down M6 and through three counties before ploughing car into house

A man took police on a high-speed chase down the M6 and through three different counties before ploughing the car into a house.

On March 22 last year, Cheshire Police received reports that a silver Seat Ateca had been seen 'swerving' along the M6. Jack Watson, 35, was behind the wheel.

Traffic officers spotted the vehicle near Junction 22 of the M6, travelling at excess speeds through a 50mph roadworks area. Later, between Junctions 25 and 26, two police patrols then made attempts to stop Watson's vehicle, but he failed to stop and continued to flee from police, with officers then engaging in a chase.

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Watson then left the motorway at junction 27 of the M6, pulling in front of a HGV also leaving the motorway, and headed toward Shevington, near Wigan.

Officers continued in their pursuit of Watson, who continued to drive in excess of the speed limit through the villages of Shevington, Gathurst, Orrel, Longshaw and Billinge in Merseyside.

The chase ended in Billinge when Watson smashed the car into a house and parked car. Both vehicles were destroyed in the impact, with thousands of pounds worth of structural damage caused to the property.

Despite being injured, Watson left the car and fled on foot, before he was later found hiding in the garden of the house he had crashed into moments earlier.

Following his arrest officers discovered that Watson had got the car from a rental company before he had been insured and given permission to drive the vehicle, they also found that he was subject to a current disqualification from driving for similar offences.

Watson, of Hartfield Avenue, in Brighton, was later charged with dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. He pleaded guilty to all offences and was sentenced to 18 months behind bars at Chester Crown Court on April 19.

Police Constable Richardson, of the Force's Roads and Crime Unit, said: "Jack Watson's decisions that day not only endangered the lives of other road users and the officers pursuing him, but he also risked seriously harming members of the public sat inside what is meant to be the safety of their own home.

"When Watson's vehicle eventually came to a stop, which was a result of his reckless driving and thinking he could outrun police, he caused considerable damage to a vehicle he did not have permission to drive or own, a parked vehicle and the exterior of someone's home. All of this would have been avoided if Watson had not got behind the wheel that day.

"As a force, we do all we can to educate and encourage all motorists to drive safely on Cheshire's roads and this incident sends a message that we will not hesitate to act against those individuals set on flouting the rules of the road and who think the law does not apply to them. It is also my hope that Watson finally learns from this and never places himself in this position again.”