M6: Drink driver led police on chase through Westhoughton, Atheron and Hindley

John Darbyshire, 48, had two passengers in his Audi A4 when he led officers on a high speed pursuit through Westhoughton, Atherton and Hindley on September 21 this year.

Over a half hour period, Darbyshire ran through several red lights and at one point sped down the wrong way on the hard shoulder on the M6 despite police attempting manoeuvres to stop him, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Alison Mather, prosecuting, said: “The officers says he made tactical contact, as he calls it, to try and stop the vehicle or at least slow it down.”

At one point John Darbyshire drove on the wrong side of the hard shoulder on the M6 (Image: Google Maps)

Ms Mather told the court that the chase started when officers saw Darbyshire, of Chorley New Road, Horwich, driving in the Hindley area towards Atherton with two female passengers.

As the officers gave chase, Darbyshire, who has 40 previous convictions for 102 offences, drove at speeds of 70mph in a 30mph zone towards Westleigh, at 80mph through several sets of traffic lights and even at 110mph through Westhoughton and Blackrod.

He continued to drive at high speeds through Adlington and Chorley before driving through a no entry sign on the dual carriageway onto the M6 at junction 27.

He eventually came to a stop after driving on the wrong side of the hard shoulder of the M6 and tried to escape on foot into a wooded area.

Darbyshire was arrested in the wooded area and at first denied being the driver and refused to give officers a breath sample.

But he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, and failing to provide a breath sample.

Mark Baxter, defending, admitted that the court was likely to take Darbyshire’s claims to be sorry for his actions with ‘a pinch of salt.’

But he asked the judge to ‘resist the temptation to give him consecutive sentences.”

 Mr Baxter told the court that when sober, Darbyshire came across as “reasonable, realistic and also remorseful.”

He claimed that while in prison the defendant had become involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and that his work driving a digger on building sites, which does not require a licence, showed he was capable of better things.

He said: “He’s been doing that for years which rather suggests that he’s competent and responsible when sober and at work.”

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But Judge Gilbart said that given his record, the effect of Darbyshire’s claims to be remorseful were ‘quite limited.’

He said: “These were utterly appalling and grossly excessive speeds for a motorway let alone for the roads you were travelling on when you reached those speeds.”

He added: “You don’t seem to care a jot about the laws and responsibilities that come with the use of motorcars.”

Judge Gilbart sentenced Darbyshire to 16 months in prison and banned him from the roads for a further five years.

Addressing Darbyshire, he said: “The court is restricted in these matters, it might be said that you deserved more.”