Driving ban for motorist who overtook police car on M4 while driving up to 150mph

• An officer on patrol on the M4 back in November was overtaken by a speeding car, which reached speeds of up to 150mph.

• Sajawal Khan, from Bristol, pleaded guilty to speeding and was given a 12-month driving ban and a £508 fine.

• Wiltshire Police's Roads Policing Unit is committed to making our roads safe and will prosecute those motorists who pose a risk to other road users.

 

A motorist who overtook an unmarked police car on the M4 while reaching speeds of up to 150mph has been handed a driving ban and fined more than £500.

An officer was on patrol on the westbound carriageway of the motorway between Junctions 15 and 16 in the early hours of 14 November, when she became aware of a vehicle travelling behind her and approaching her rapidly.

As the silver Mercedes passed her unmarked police car, it was clear that it was being driven well over the speed limit so she radioed for support from colleagues.

It was monitored by police to be travelling at speeds between 120mph and 150mph, staying in lanes 2 and 3, despite lane 1 being clear, so was pulled over by police.

The driver Sajawal Khan, 23, of Stottbury Road, Bristol, had three passengers in the car and said he was travelling home from London after celebrating his birthday.

He appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court yesterday (03/05) and pleaded guilty to speeding. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £508. He was also ordered to pay £110 costs and a £51 victim surcharge.

PC Alexandra Way, from Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, was the attending officer.

She said: “We work hard to keep our roads safe and we focus on something called the fatal four, which is the four factors which are most likely to contribute to a fatal or serious injury road traffic collision.

“These are drink/drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, driving while distracted, and driving at excess speed.

“There is no doubt that driving more than twice the legal speed limit on a motorway poses a huge risk, not only to the driver themselves and any passengers in that vehicle, but other road users as well.

“We will continue to crack down on this sort of illegal and dangerous behaviour, by educating motorists about these risks, but also taking enforcement action when we see drivers breaking the law.”