A dangerous driver has been jailed after carrying out a series of high-risk manoeuvres during a police pursuit which officers described as some of the worst driving they had witnessed.

Martin Stokes, 20, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 32 months in prison at Swindon Crown Court on Friday, October 16.

He was also disqualified from driving for 76 months.

Stokes had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage, driving while disqualified, four counts of making threats to kill, using a vehicle without insurance and two theft offences.

Wrong side of the road

Police were alerted at around 9pm on July 8 after Stokes was seen driving a Ford Mustang dangerously on the M4 westbound.

Officers attempted to stop him, but he drove away and then travelled the wrong way around the Junction 15 roundabout.

He subsequently joined the A419 northbound on the southbound carriageway, driving directly against the flow of traffic, before leaving the A419 and joining the A420.

During the pursuit, Stokes drove towards motorcyclists, cars and HGVs, putting numerous road users at risk.

A 15-year-old child was later found to have been inside the vehicle.

On the A420 near Watchfield, Stokes repeatedly rammed police vehicles in an attempt to escape before officers used tactical contact to bring the vehicle to a stop.

Threats to police and paramedics

Following his arrest, Stokes threatened to murder police officers at the scene.

He also made threats to two critical care paramedics who were present and attempting to provide him with first aid.

Police subsequently linked him to two thefts at Go Outdoors in Swindon in June 2026.

Temporary Police Sergeant Ben Greening, from the Roads Policing Unit, said Stokes’ driving was among the most dangerous he had witnessed.

He said Stokes’ actions were reckless and placed hundreds of road users at risk, including through driving against the flow of traffic and repeatedly ramming police vehicles.

The officer said the incident could have had “catastrophic consequences” for members of the public, police officers, the child in the vehicle and Stokes himself.

He added that the sentence reflected the seriousness of the offending and the danger posed to the community.