Driver jailed for terrifying M6 rampage

Prescot Garom, 33, of Hall Street, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, was three times over the drink drive limit and weaving in and out of lanes on the M6 when he threatened a woman driver coming back from the Lake District.

Claire Jones, prosecuting, said that Alex Dowthwaite, who was driving on the M6 near Wigan, saw Garom’s red Peugeot moving in and out of lanes, undertaking and suddenly pulling out.

“People were seen to have to brake heavily because of his weaving in and out,” she told Liverpool Crown Court.

Mrs Dowthwaite had to slam on her brakes to avoid a collision with Garom’s car.

“She was so concerned about his actions that she asked her husband to call the police,” said Miss Jones.

“She tried to pass and her husband made a gesture to the defendant to describe his driving and Garom made a gun gesture in response.”

He then slowed down to 35 mph, straddled two lanes and began throwing items from his window including a cigarette packet and a coffee cup.

About 6pm police spotted the car on a slip road off the motorway and when they spoke to the passengers they said they had run out of fuel.

Garom returned while the officers were there and they could smell alcohol.

He was un-cooperative and had to be CS gas sprayed and handcuffed. When breathalysed at a police station he was found to have 122 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and without a driving licence and was jailed for 12 months.

Judge Andrew Menary described his driving as “road rage” involving attempting to bully a woman driver and he banned him from the road for three and a half years.