A police pursuit became a terrifying motorway ordeal when a suspected car thief drove a stolen Ford Mustang the wrong way along a busy dual carriageway.
Martin Stokes, then 20, was later accused of threatening to kill officers as he was arrested. Police also discovered that a 15-year-old passenger had been travelling in the rear of the vehicle.
The incident began at around 9pm on July 8, when motorists alerted police to a Mustang being driven dangerously on the westbound M4.
Officers quickly located the car and attempted to bring it to a stop. Instead, Stokes accelerated away in the stolen vehicle.
Near Swindon, he approached the Junction 15 roundabout and drove around it in the wrong direction. Moments later, he narrowly avoided a head-on collision with two pursuing police cars.
He then entered the A419, travelling north on the southbound side of the road. Stokes continued against the flow of traffic for approximately 3.6 miles (5.9 km) before leaving the carriageway and joining the A420.
Police footage captures a series of frightening near misses as the Mustang came face to face with motorcycles, cars and heavy goods vehicles.
Officers followed from the opposite carriageway, racing to keep pace with the vehicle. Police said the dangerous driving placed hundreds of people in jeopardy, including Stokes and the teenage passenger.
Martin Stokes, 20, drove the wrong way along a dual carriageway in a stolen Ford Mustang with a 15-year-old passenger inside before allegedly threatening police and paramedics
Police said hundreds of lives were endangered as Stokes travelled north in the southbound lanes of the A419
Police car footage shows the Mustang narrowly avoiding a head-on crash on the A419
Once on the A420 near Watchfield, he repeatedly struck police vehicles as he tried to break free.
Officers eventually brought the chase to an end by using tactical contact with their cars. The pursuit lasted at least seven minutes and covered several miles of hazardous driving.
Police vehicles surrounded the Mustang before officers opened the badly damaged driver’s door and pulled Stokes from behind the wheel.
After initially denying that he had been driving, Stokes allegedly threatened officers and two critical care paramedics. In footage, he can be heard saying: “You’re lucky that driver didn’t kill you, man.”
Blood covered Stokes’ face and he claimed his nose had been broken. Even after being handcuffed, he challenged one officer to fight him.
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He said: “Let me up with him. Just you and me, one on one, let us have it one on one.”
He continued: “I’m telling you I’m gonna hurt you when I see you again. You’re going to hurt this time. I’m going to kill you.”
Stokes then attempted to force his way out of the metal compartment at the back of the police van.
While being taken to hospital, he allegedly threatened to drive a Jeep over one of the officers, saying he would “kill him stone dead” and “follow him home”.
Stokes was jailed for two years and eight months after pleading guilty to 13 offences at Swindon Crown Court
He had driven against the flow of traffic for about 3.6 miles (5.9 km) before exiting onto the A420
Police finally managed to box him in and arrest him. The bloody-faced criminal then threatened to kill two police officers and two paramedics
At Swindon Crown Court, Stokes pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage, driving whilst disqualified, four counts of threats to kill, using a vehicle without insurance, and two theft offences.
One of the theft offences occurred at the Go Outdoors shop in Swindon in June when Stokes stole several high-value items.
He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison today and disqualified from driving for six years and four months.
Trainee Detective Constable Ben Greening, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: ‘Stokes’ manner of driving on the day in question has to be some of the most dangerous driving I’ve witnessed.
‘Even after his arrest, Stokes continued his aggressive behaviour, making threats to kill officers who had been carrying out their duties to protect the public and critical care paramedics who were present in trying to provide Stokes with first aid.
‘This sentence reflects the seriousness of his offending and the significant danger he posed to our communities that evening.
‘His actions were completely unacceptable and he has rightly been held accountable for them.
‘We will always take robust action against those who choose to use our roads in such a dangerous and criminal manner, and I hope this outcome sends a clear message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.’
