A dangerous driver who drove the wrong way along the A419 and repeatedly rammed police vehicles during a high-speed pursuit has been jailed for 32 months.
Martin Stokes, 20, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Friday 16th October after previously pleading guilty to a series of offences, including dangerous driving, failing to stop and assaulting an emergency worker.
He was also disqualified from driving for 76 months.
Wiltshire Police said officers were alerted at around 9pm on 8th July to a Ford Mustang being driven dangerously on the westbound M4.
When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, Stokes drove away, going the wrong way around the Junction 15 roundabout before joining the A419 northbound on the southbound carriageway, against the flow of traffic. He then exited onto the A420.
During the pursuit, Stokes drove head-on towards motorcyclists, cars and heavy goods vehicles, putting numerous road users at risk.
A 15-year-old child was later found inside the vehicle.
On the A420 near Watchfield, Stokes repeatedly rammed police vehicles in an attempt to escape before officers brought the Mustang to a stop using tactical contact.
Following his arrest, Stokes threatened to murder officers at the scene and two critical care paramedics. He was also linked to two thefts at Go Outdoors in Swindon in June 2026.
His guilty pleas covered dangerous driving, failing to stop, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage, driving while disqualified, four counts of threats to kill, using a vehicle without insurance and two theft offences.
Temporary Sergeant Ben Greening, of Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, described the driving as some of the most dangerous he had witnessed.
He said Stokes’ actions put hundreds of road users at risk and showed no regard for the safety of others, adding that officers’ professionalism and swift actions had helped bring the pursuit to a stop before anyone was more seriously harmed.
He also condemned the threats made against officers and paramedics following the arrest.
Wiltshire Police said the sentence reflected the seriousness of the offences and the danger posed to the public.
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