A high-speed police chase along the M5 motorway concluded dramatically near Cullompton, leading to a 16-month prison sentence for the driver, Dean Mayo. The incident, which occurred on March 22, saw Mayo reaching speeds up to 127 mph in a desperate attempt to evade capture.

The chase began when a police patrol near Junction 28 in Somerset signaled the VW vehicle with cloned plates to stop. Instead of complying, Mayo, 28, accelerated on the hard shoulder at speeds of 80 mph, weaving through traffic before rejoining the main road and escalating his speed beyond 100 mph.

Despite the deployment of a stinger that deflated his tires, Mayo continued his perilous flight, eventually abandoning the vehicle and attempting to escape on foot. He was apprehended following a brief foot pursuit through a hedge.

In his defense, Mayo, who has no fixed abode, claimed the car was borrowed from a friend and that he was en route to Cornwall for a holiday. His legal counsel, Zoe Kuyken, stated that Mayo deeply regrets his actions.

Exeter Crown Court heard that at the time of the chase, Mayo was driving without insurance and on a provisional license that had expired. He was also disqualified from driving due to previous offenses. The court was informed of Mayo's extensive criminal record, which includes 22 prior offenses, with at least two instances of dangerous driving in 2015 and 2021.

Judge James Adkin criticized Mayo's "highly dangerous" actions, which posed a severe risk to other road users, and disqualified him from driving for 32 months on top of his jail sentence.

This dramatic conclusion serves as a stern reminder of the consequences of dangerous driving and evading law enforcement.