A reckless driver who reached speeds of more than 140mph as he drove towards other motorists has been jailed.
Martin Stokes, 20, put hundreds of road users at risk while speeding the wrong way down a busy dual carriageway and repeatedly rammed police cars in a desperate bid to escape.
Stokes, of no fixed address, led police on a terrifying chase.
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He was jailed for 32 months. at Swindon Crown Court on Friday, (16 Oct) after pleading guilty to a string of offences.
The court heard how the pursuit began at around 9pm on July 8, when officers spotted Stokes driving a Ford Mustang dangerously on the M32 in Bristol.
He had gone through three red lights before crashing into a Nissan Qashqai and speeding away onto the M4.
Wiltshire Police then joined the chase after officers were alerted to a Mustang travelling dangerously westbound on the motorway.
When police tried to stop him, Stokes fled, driving the wrong way around the M4’s junction 15 roundabout before joining the A419 northbound on the southbound carriageway, as reported by Need To Know
He hurtled towards oncoming motorcyclists, cars and HGVs before leaving the A419 for the A420.
A 15-year-old child was later discovered inside the Mustang.
Outside Watchfield, Stokes repeatedly rammed police vehicles as officers tried to stop him, injuring one and causing thousands of pounds of damage.
He was eventually brought to a halt through tactical contact and arrested.
Even then, his aggression continued. Stokes threatened to kill officers at the scene and two critical care paramedics who were trying to help him.
He also tried to headbutt and bite two officers.
Judge His Honour Jason Taylor told Stokes: “After a prolonged pursuit you rammed two police vehicles and injured one officer, while causing thousands of pounds of damage.
“You tried to headbutt and bite two officers, and threatened paramedics who were trying to help you.”
Stokes had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage, driving while disqualified, four counts of threats to kill, using a vehicle without insurance and two theft offences.
He was jailed for 32 months and banned from driving for 76 months.
He was also linked to two thefts from Go Outdoors in Swindon in June 2026.
T/PS Ben Greening, of Wiltshire Police’s 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.
“His actions were reckless and put hundreds of road users at risk of harm. He showed no regard for the safety of anybody around him.
“His sole focus was evading police and he was prepared to go to extreme lengths to do so, including driving the wrong way round a motorway roundabout and against the flow of traffic on a busy dual carriageway, followed by repeatedly ramming police vehicles and causing injury to officers.
“The situation could very easily have had catastrophic consequences for members of the public, police officers, the child inside the vehicle or Stokes himself.
“It is only through the professionalism and swift actions of the officers involved that he was brought to a safe stop before anyone was more seriously harmed.”
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