Shocking video shows drunk driver veering across all 4 lanes of M1
He eventually ran out of fuel and was found slumped at the wheel asleep
A drink driver who was found slumped fast asleep at the wheel after swerving all over the M1 has avoided jail and been banned from driving for a year.
Nottinghamshire Police say they've released dashcam and body worn camera footage of Jamie Barrett’s dangerous driving as a reminder to others of the potentially fatal consequences of drink driving.
The 30-year-old was seen driving dangerously as he headed north in a black van between junctions 25 and 26, at one point veering across all four lanes.
A concerned witness, who reported what he saw to the police, said Barrett’s erratic driving looked like he was shaking his steering wheel quickly from left to right.
Barrett narrowly missed other vehicles on the busy route and the damage caused to the van suggested he had crashed into the motorway barriers as he was driving.
The van eventually came to a stop in the live lane one after running out of fuel.
Barrett was slumped behind the wheel and was woken up by officers. He began to speak incoherently and his speech was slurred.
Barrett, of Lincoln Road, Faldingworth, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, was arrested on 14th September 2023 following a roadside breath test.
In custody, he provided a sample of 84 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.
He subsequently pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving over the legal alcohol limit.
He appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court where he was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
He was also banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to carry out 180 hours’ unpaid work.
Sergeant Louis Jamieson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Barrett was driving on a busy motorway whilst under the influence of alcohol. It was more luck than anything else that no-one was injured, the consequences don't bare thinking about.
“This case serves as a stark reminder that those who drink and drive are never in control of their vehicle and are selfishly putting the lives of other road users at risk.
“I also hope this case serves as a warning to others that if you've taken drugs or alcohol and you get behind the wheel, there's a high chance that we will catch you."