A Transit driver ended up spinning his van into a crash barrier on the M4 while trying to shake off police efforts to box him in.

Police were called in the early hours of Sunday, June 28, to reports that Simon Hall had got behind the wheel of his van drunk.

Prosecutor Ben Worthington told Swindon Magistrates’ Court this morning that police officers on routine patrol around Walcot had spotted the 44-year-old’s van on Queens Drive.

They tried to signal to him to stop but he made off down Queens Drive and Marlborough Road before pulling onto the A419.

Specialist officers were called in as Hall drove onto the M4 at junction 15. He was pursued down the motorway to junction 13, where he circled the roundabout then got back onto the road in the direction of Swindon.

The Transit was weaving between lanes and traffic cops tried to box the driver in using their patrol cars.

Mr Worthington said the car span off into the crash barrier. Hall was arrested and asked to provide a sample of breath, as police suspected he had been drinking. He refused to provide the sample.

The 30 minute-long chase was too serious to be dealt with by the magistrates’ court, the lawyer said.

Hall, of Naunton Road, Walcot, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Gordon Hotson, defending, said his client had been convicted of an unrelated matter last year but, before then, had not been before the courts in two decades.

He agreed the matter was too serious to be dealt with by the magistrates and asked his client to be released on conditional bail and given an interim driving ban.

Bailing him to be sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on a date to be fixed, chairman of the bench Christine Smith told Hall: “You’ve heard everything that’s been said by the prosecution and on your behalf by your defence solicitor.

“You’ve pleaded guilty. We do not think our powers are sufficient, so we’re going to send this to the crown court.”

He was given an interim driving disqualification.