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Driver heads wrong way down M5 in terrifying getaway bid

A serial offender, who led police on a terrifying 100mph chase during which he hurtled down the M5 in the wrong direction for several miles, has been jailed for four years two months.

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Left to right, Charles and Francis Ward

Charles Ward and his brother Francis – both of whom were banned from driving – were at the wheel of stolen cars on false plates when they escaped with £5,600 worth of tools while causing £1,300 damage at HSS Hire Store in Bloxwich Road, Walsall, a judge heard.

The October 28 raid came five hours after the blue £17,000 Ford Fiesta being driven by 38-year-old Charles had been stolen from outside Morrisons supermarket in Bilston.

Francis was in a £11,000 white Ford Fiesta taken three days earlier from Barlow Motors in Evans Street, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. Neither man was accused of the thefts.

Police spotted the blue Fiesta travelling towards Wolverhampton along the Black Country Route soon after the burglary and gave chase as it hit speeds of 100mph in a 50 zone, said Mr Hugh O’Brien Quinn, prosecuting.

Charles Ward pretended to stop before accelerating towards The Keyway in Willenhall at 90mph until he spotted officers laying a ‘stinger’ across the road to halt his progress. He foiled the bid by driving over the central reservation and headed into residential streets.

The Fiesta sped through several red lights, careered over speed bumps at 70mph and went the wrong way round traffic islands before returning to the Black Country Route.

Police cars gave up when the pursuit became too dangerous as the Fiesta careered along the hard shoulder and inside lane of the M5 in the wrong direction before doing another U-turn to head back towards the northbound M6 on the correct carriageway, continued the prosecutor.

The Fiesta left at junction 9 and went towards Walsall while shadowed by the police helicopter until the car was dumped in Ford Street.

Francis, aged 24, tried to collect Charles in the white Fiesta but was boxed in by two police cars, the court heard.

Equipment used in the burglary and the stolen goods were in the two Fiestas.

Charles, who had previous convictions involving 122 offences, admitted burglary, handling stolen property, driving while disqualified and dangerous driving which Judge James Burbidge QC said was ‘the most serious bit of bad driving without injury this court has seen'.

Francis, like his brother of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to burglary, handling, dangerous driving and going equipped for theft.

He was locked up for two years six months.

Both were banned from driving for two years on release.

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