That is the horrifying second a drunk driver speeds the mistaken method alongside the M4 motorway for 30 miles with frightened motorists swerving out of the best way to keep away from head-on collisions.
James Brennan, who had misplaced his personal sister in a automotive accident as a teen, was thrice over the drink-drive restrict when he was finally caught by police after practically being concerned in a number of crashes, a court docket heard.
Police obtained a lot of experiences of a silver Renault Megane automotive heading westbound on the M4, close to the Cardiff West junction, travelling on the mistaken aspect of the street.
Travelling at speeds as much as 85mph simply after midnight on November 28 this 12 months, Brennan solely prevented nasty head-on accidents due to the fast reactions of different drivers on the motorway.
James Brennan (pictured), who had misplaced his personal sister in a drink-driving accident as a teen, was thrice over the drink-drive restrict when he was finally pulled over by police after practically being concerned in a number of head-on collisions, Swansea Crown Court docket heard
Cops have been compelled to launch a significant operation to attempt cease the motive force, with a fleet of 9 police vehicles shadowed the Renault because it barrelled alongside the motorway, utilizing blue lights to warn different drivers of the hazard.
Unable to flag him down, the cops launched a ‘stinger’ machine that deflated the Megane’s tyres.
He continued to drive as his tyres have been delating earlier than stopping on Briton Ferry Bridge, the place he refused to get out and communicate to officers.
Swansea Crown Court docket heard police have been compelled to make use of batons to smash the Renault’s home windows.
When Brennan lastly did get out of his automotive, Prosecutor Dean Pulling mentioned he smelled of alcohol and urine, sporting moist trousers.
He ‘struggled to get his leg over the central barrier’ whereas he was taken to the police automotive.
Brennan’s Renault automotive got here head-to-head with a number of vehicles, vans and HGVs as he travelled nearly 30 miles on the M4 on the mistaken aspect of the street
A roadside breath check discovered he was three-times over the drink drive restrict however failed to finish additional evidential checks at Swansea Central police station after he was ‘extraordinarily aggressive’ in direction of a feminine officer conducting the check.
He later advised officers that he remembered nothing between leaving the pub and waking up in a jail cell.
At Swansea Crown Court docket, Prosecutor Dean Pulling advised Swansea Crown Court docket, that Brennan nearly got here head-to-head with a lot of vehicles, vans and lorries, who efficiently scrambled out of the best way.
At one level he was even heading in direction of two HGVs that have been driving parallel to one another on a two-lane stretch of the motorway, Wales On-line experiences.
The climate circumstances have been wet, with water on the carriage method and patches of fog in some components.
Upon sending Brennan to jail for a 12 months, a choose advised him he didn’t understand how he was nonetheless alive. Pictured: Brennan travelling the mistaken method down the M4 close to Cardiff
Interviews ‘a lot later’ within the day discovered that Brennan had spent the day consuming Doom Bar beer, Guinness and Particular Brew lager in Wetherspoons.
Upon sending Brennan to jail for a 12 months, a choose advised him he didn’t understand how he was nonetheless alive.
The utmost sentence for harmful driving is one in all two years in jail, earlier than any low cost for a responsible plea is utilized.
With a 3rd low cost given on his jail time, he was handed 12 month jail sentence.
He’ll serve half of that point in custody earlier than being launched on licence to serve the rest locally.
He was disqualified from driving for a complete of two-and-a-half years and should go an prolonged check earlier than he can his licence again.
Brennan, from Maesteg, beforehand pleaded responsible to harmful driving and to failing to offer a pattern for evaluation when he appeared within the dock for sentencing.
Upon sending Brennan to jail for a 12 months, a choose advised him he didn’t understand how he was nonetheless alive
His earlier convictions included 5 offences together with driving with extra alcohol.
Brennan, who’s initially from Birmingham, additionally had cautions for assault and medicines issues from the Met Police in London.
Hywel Davies who was defending Brennan, who’s coaching to be a counsellor, mentioned there could possibly be no mitigation and accepted it was a really poor piece of driving.
He mentioned his defendant had no recollection of driving and when he was knowledgeable of what he had achieved, he considered his personal sister who had died in a automotive crash when she was a teen.
Choose Geraint Walters mentioned though the motorway had been comparatively quiet on the time, it was ‘fairly astonishing’ that the defendant had successfully pushed from Cardiff to Briton Ferry within the mistaken carriageway with out being concerned in a collision.
He advised him: ‘How you might be nonetheless alive I have no idea, I actually do not.’
The choose added the police had ‘achieved all the things they may’ to keep away from any crashes that night time.
