A dangerous driver has been jailed after crashing into a car and a lorry at 90mph on the A500. Karl Ainsworth was driving his ex-partner to her Cheshire home after breaking a restraining order to meet up with her in Hanley, Staffordshire.
The 31-year-old overtook an unmarked police car at 90mph on the D-road before trying to undertake a car. But he cut back to the outside lane too soon and pushed the car into the central barrier. He then hit a lorry - and somehow managed to carry on driving.
He then failed to stop for police and ditched the car and his ex-partner at a KFC before running off. But officers saw him hiding behind a wall. He was breathalysed and found to be over the drink-drive limit.
Read more:
Now Ainsworth has been jailed for 18 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Ainsworth was not insured to drive his ex's Audi S3 when the drama unfolded on the evening of June 24.
Prosecutor Richard McConaghy said: "He was driving at speed. She was the only one insured to drive it. An unmarked police car was ahead of him. Just after the Wolstanton Retail Park exit, where the speed limit is 50mph, the defendant overtook the unmarked police car at about 90mph.
"About 400 metres after the Porthill junction there was a lorry in the inside lane and a Ford Focus. The Focus was moving to overtake the lorry. The defendant came up behind at significant speed. The driver of the Focus weighed up going into the inside lane to get out of the way.
"But he did not. The defendant pulled into the inside lane to undertake the Focus at significant speed. He ran out of space to get back through. He pulled back out too early, hitting the side of the Focus. The Focus was pushed across into the central reservation barrier.
"The car driven by the defendant went sideways into the side of the lorry and back into the outside lane." He headed off the A500, on to Reginald Mitchell Way, and pulled on to the KFC car park.
He was soon after detained and gave a drink-drive reading of 46 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35. Ainsworth, from Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident; failing to stop when required; driving without a licence; driving without insurance; drink-driving and dangerous driving. He was also convicted of harassment and breaching a restraining order.
Sarah Johnson, mitigating, said the defendant is thoroughly ashamed and remorseful. Miss Johnson added: "He made an incredible mistake. He knew he should not have been with her. He knew he should not have been driving."
He told the defendant: "Your behaviour was obnoxious. You knew full well you were subject to a restraining order. But you ignored that. You went to Hanley and communicated with her in breach of the restraining order. She was unfortunate to be your passenger when you chose to drive like a lunatic. These matters are so serious that only immediate custody can begin to be considered."
