Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

A drug-addled driver who sped along the M1 on the wrong carriageway before crashing and laying on the central reservation to avoid police was told he was an “absolute menace behind the wheel”.

Daniel Thorpe was nearly five times over the legal limit for ketamine when the police helicopter spotted him laid in between the barriers dividing the north and southbound carriageways on the evening of October 16 last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard how the 29-year-old had been driving a white Audi A3 when he stopped at a BP garage in Wakefield at around 5.40pm. He put £50 worth of fuel in the vehicle before driving off without paying. Around an hour later he was seen on the M1 northbound between J38 and J39 near Wakefield driving erratically, speeding while undertaking and overtaking vehicles.

A short time later he was seen by the same drivers, but this time heading southwards on the northbound carriageway. A Vauxhall Corsa driver on the inside lane was forced to swerve and the wingmirrors from each car clipped one another.

Thorpe crashed while heading the wrong way on the M1, then laid in the central reservation to avoid capture.

The Audi then hit a barrier on the grass verge of the hard shoulder, before Thorpe got out and fled. He was then spotted by the helicopter in his bizarre attempt to avoid arrest. Both carriageways had to be temporarily closed.

He was taken to hospital due to being incoherent while his face was covered in white powder. He found to have 94 mcgs of ketamine per litre of blood. The legal limit is 20 mcgs.

Thorpe, of Novara Close, Barnsley, admitted making off without payment, dangerous driving and driving while over the limit for drugs. He has 17 previous convictions for 33 offences including failing to provide a breath test and driving while banned. He was on a community order at the time of his latest offences.

Mitigating, Chris Moran said Thorpe had been “doing well” on the community order but his grandfather had passed away and had resorted to taking drugs again. He said: “Drugs appear to be an issue and the bane of his life.”

Jailing him for 16 months and banning him from driving for 68 months, Recorder David Gordon said: “It’s a miracle there was no further damage or injury to anyone. You are an absolute menace behind the wheel.”

Drug-addled ‘menace’ drove the wrong way on the M1 at Wakefield before laying down on the central reservation