Banned driver hit 120mph on M6 - and even did U-turn during motorway chase
Now he's behind bars
Banned driver Jimmy McCann led police on a dangerous M6 chase - before telling cops he wasn't driving and was actually lying down on the backseat. But the 36-year-old, who even performed a U-turn during the pursuit, was busted by the police officer's dashcam which captured him behind the wheel carrying out the dangerous manoeuvre.
Now McCann, who hit 120mph, has been handed an eight-month jail term and banned from the roads for 30 months. And Cheshire Police have released footage of the pursuit and audio of the defendant's interview in custody where he attempted to claim he had been 'switched' into the driver's seat when the determined cop rammed the car to a stop.
But footage clearly shows him behind the wheel and he went on to admit dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance. The incident unfolded at around 8pm on November 29 where cops on patrol spotted him driving a Ford Mondeo 'erratically' on the M6 northbound at Junction 19.
Checks revealed it was on cloned plates. Officers say McCann, of Pluckley Road, Bethersden, Kent hit speeds of 120mph and swerved across lanes. He slowed down to 40mph and stopped on the hard shoulder. But as cops approached he made off and a pursuit was declared. It was on the M62 westbound where he was hit by cops but did a U-turn in a bid to get away.
However the second strike saw the pursuit end. Meanwhile passenger in the vehicle, a 38-year-old man, was also arrested. But no further action was taken against him. Speaking after the sentencing hearing Inspector Bradley Hughes, of the constabulary's roads and crime unit, said: "Over recent days, the force has dealt with several serious collisions, the effects of which can devastate families, especially as we enter the Christmas period.
“Thankfully, in this instance, no-one was seriously injured as a result of McCann’s dangerous driving, but the consequences could have been far worse. He put his life and the lives of other road users at considerable risk, and I welcome the sentence handed to him."