A DANGEROUS and disqualified driver from Weston-Super-Mare has been jailed after a court was shown him travelling at more than 120mph while trying to evade police.

Michael Thomas Stack, of Severn Road, failed to stop for an officer on the M5 on Sunday, April 13, after police systems flagged the owner had been recently banned from driving.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit were patrolling the M5 in an unmarked car when they tried to stop the vehicle.

After the BMW left the motorway, PC Laurie Merchant activated his lights and sirens in an attempt to pull Stack over.

The 23-year-old initially complied before driving off once officers exited their vehicle – and a pursuit ensued.

During the pursuit, Stack regularly put other motorists at risk by driving his BMW at speed, including running red lights and undertaking on the hard shoulder of the motorway.

The pursuit, which covered the B4059 in Tortworth, residential roads, country lanes and the M5, M4 and M32 motorways, ended when Stack drove into a dead-end road and ran off.

He was followed by officers, with support from Avon & Somerset Police and the National Police Air Service, and was eventually detained and arrested.

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Previously, on March 25, Stack had been disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He was charged and later pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle dangerously, driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a license, using a motor vehicle without third party insurance, driving whilst disqualified and possession of a Class A drug.

He was released under investigation in connection with drugs offences to allow for blood work to take place.

Those results showed the level of cocaine in Stack’s system was more than three times the legal limit, with the level of Benzoylecgonine, a cocaine breakdown, nearly five times the limit.

As a result, Stack was additionally charged and pleaded guilty to two counts of driving a vehicle with a concentration of specified controlled drug above the specified limit, namely cocaine and benzoylecgonine.

Stack appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on May 2, where he was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for four years and six months.

He must take an extended driving test at the end of the driving ban and was ordered to pay £272 in court costs.

In mitigation, Stack’s lawyer said he admitted to having a drugs problem and committed the offences because he was going through a hard time and wanted to escape.

He vowed to never take drugs again.

After the hearing, PC Laurie Merchant from the Roads Policing Unit, said: “Stack endangered innocent roads users and took risks that could have cost lives – all because he decided to drive despite not legally being able to.

“I hope this court case will act as a deterrent to those who think they can drive dangerously or copy Stack’s actions and get away with it.

“Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads is a priority for Gloucestershire Constabulary and we want to ensure the county’s roads are safe for all.”