Dramatic footage shows the moment a disqualified driver from near Lutterworth was chased and captured by police

Police have released dramatic video footage of the moment a disqualified driver from near Lutterworth was chased and captured by officers.

Driver Roman Francis, who was also over the drink drive limit, was tactically pursued and contained by officers on the M40 near Warwick.

This week, Francis, 34, from Mere Road, Bitteswell, was sentenced to two years and four months in jail.

The incident started when Francis took a white VW Golf from a storage yard in Lutterworth without the owner’s permission sometime between midday Friday January 9 and 5am on Sunday 10 January 2021.

The white VW Golf failed to stop for police in the Rugby area and a marker was placed on the vehicle.

A police spokesperson said: "At just after 6am on Sunday January 10, the Golf was seen by a marked police car on the M40 Junction 15 and officers began to follow it.

"As the Golf rejoined the M40 motorway northbound, Roman, the driver, failed to stop again for officers when indicated and drove dangerously reaching speeds in excess of 140 mph on the motorway in foggy conditions.

"The vehicle was followed into West Mercia Police area where it was tactically pursued and contained and the driver arrested who was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Roman provided a roadside breath specimen of 73 micrograms when the limit is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath."

Francis was sentenced to a total of 28 months imprisonment for a string of offences and banned from driving for six years and two months after appearing at Warwick Crown Court on February 8.

The sentence consisted of 16 months for dangerous driving, three months for drink driving, thre months for driving whilst disqualified and a further six months for aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving, making 28 months imprisonment in total.

He was also ordered to pay £190 victim surcharge and was banned from driving from his first court appearance on January 11 when he received an interim driving ban.

At Warwick Crown Court he was banned from driving for five years with an extension of 14 months to six years and two months and will be required to take an extended driving test if he wants to start driving again.

Speaking about the sentence PS Tim Ivers said: “The actions of Roman John Francis not only put his own life in danger but the lives of innocent road users.

"Fortunately no one was injured, however the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences and the potential serious harm that could have been caused.”