A man who led police on a 35-mile high speed chase along two motorways has been jailed.
Rooney Whyte, of Janson Close, Stratford, reached speeds of up to 130mph along the the M26 and M25 in Kent to Surrey on January 25, 2022 when trying to evade officers.
An Audi Q5 came to police attention on the M20 and it was pursued by roads policing officers along the M26.
As the Audi reached the M25, passing Clacket Lane Services, it began to speed up - weaving across lanes and using the hard shoulder.
The vehicle left the motorway at Junction 11 and joined the A230, overtaking vehicles into oncoming traffic.
The vehicle then came to a stop in a cul-de-sac in Ottershaw in Surrey where Whyte ran away from the vehicle jumping over fences into wooded areas.
He was then caught and arrested after he was seen to throw a handgun into some brambles.
He was later charged with possession of a firearm, failing to stop and dangerous driving and pleaded guilty to the offences.
At Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday, October 27, Whyte was jailed for five years and four months.
He was also disqualified from driving for 47 months.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Steven Brown said: ‘Members of the public had to take evasive action to avoid a collision due to the manner of Whyte’s driving.
"He put himself and other road users at risk and that is not acceptable.
"There is also no good reason for any member of the public to be in possession of a handgun and its live ammunition - only organised criminals with no aversion to committing serious violence would seek to possess such an item.
"I am therefore pleased that this weapon has been removed from circulation.
"We will never show any tolerance for offending of this nature and it is only appropriate that Whyte is now at the beginning of a substantial prison sentence."
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