Birmingham drink driver who led police down hard shoulder of M6 is jailed

A drink driver who was pursued by police down the hard shoulder of the M6 has been jailed.

Akeem Rafiq was jailed for 35 weeks at Birmingham Magistrates Court this week after being caught for the second time.

Rafiq’s conviction comes at the start of a West Midlands Police winter drink-drive campaign, which targets drink drivers and helps keep road users safe this Christmas.

On 3 December this year, a yellow Audi being driven by Rafiq was spotted entering the motorway at Junction 6. There, it moved across the solid white lines and began dangerously overtaking and undertaking traffic while travelling well in excess of the speed limit.

Rafiq then began driving along the closed hard shoulder between J6 and J7 and failing to stop for officers.

When he was eventually stopped, CMPG officers recognised a strong smell of alcohol on him, arresting him under Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act.

The 29-year-old was taken into custody, where he failed to provide a breath sample for analysis without reasonable excuse. Rafiq, of Minstead Road, Erdington, was jailed for 35 weeks and banned from driving for 48 months.

He was also ordered to pay £185 in court costs and a £187 victim surcharge.

What has West Midlands Police said about the case?

PC Jim Barry, from the Central Motorway Police Group, said: “Drink driving is a risk for everyone, not just the driver themselves.

“This conviction sends out a strong message of how seriously we take this kind of incident. What Rafiq did was incredibly dangerous and could have caused serious injury or death to both him and other road users.

“Remember, by getting behind the wheel while under the influence, you are putting yourself, other road users and pedestrians at risk.

“Even if you haven’t had a drink since the night before, you can still be over the limit the next morning.”