August 2, 2021 4.48 pm This story is over 31 months old

Drink driver jailed after 120mph police chase in Lincolnshire

Hot pursuit on Lincoln bypass
Michael Stevenson was jailed for 14 months. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A drink driver with “an appalling” motoring record drove at 120mph in an attempt to evade pursuing police cars, Lincoln Crown Court was told on Monday.

Police were tipped off that Michael Stevenson, who had four previous convictions for drink driving, had set off to drive home from Skegness after he had been drinking.

Noel Philo, prosecuting, said an officer saw Stevenson driving on the A158 heading towards Lincoln but was unable to keep up with him.

Stevenson reached the Lincoln bypass and was pursued from there by another officer as he drove to the Nettleham Road roundabout and then on to the Riseholme Road roundabout.

Mr Philo said: “He turned right onto the A15 and headed north. The traffic was described as very light but the car was travelling very fast indeed.

“The speed limit is 50mph. He overtook several cars and was going at over 100mph.”

Stevenson drove on the wrong side of the roundabout at the junction with Tillbridge Lane.

Mr Philo said: “There is no way he could see what was coming the other way. He got back on to the correct side of the road and continued at a very high speed.”

Stevenson reached 120mph on a section of the road where the speed limit was 70 before turning right and heading for Spridlington.

With police continuing to pursue him, he twice performed handbrake turns.

He went through Spridlington village at 60 and continued on to a minor road ending up on a farm track which led to a dead end. Police were then able to prevent him driving off and he was arrested.

He was breathalysed producing a reading of 54mgs of alcohol per 100mls of breath compared to the legal limit of 35mgs.

The court was told that Stevenson had two convictions for drink driving in 2006 and further convictions for the same offence in 2007 and 2015.

Stevenson, 34, of Brecks Lane, Rotherham, admitted dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol as a result of the incident in the early morning of May 3 this year.

He was jailed for 14 months and banned from driving for four years and seven months.

Judge John Pini QC ordered confiscation of the BMW car that Stevenson was driving.

The judge told Stevenson: “Your driving record is rightly described as appalling. An immediate custodial sentence is absolutely unavoidable. I would be failing in my public duty if I did otherwise.”

Leanne Summers, in mitigation, said Stevenson had been out of trouble for six years and had changed his lifestyle since his last court appearance.

She said Stevenson’s life changed again when his relationship with his partner broke down.

On the day of the incident Stevenson was visiting Skegness when he received an ultimatum from his partner to be back by 5am.

“When he set off he believed he was able to drive. When he saw the police car he panicked. He thought that if he was stopped he would lose his job.”