An “out of control” driver put lives in danger when he hurtled down the hard shoulder of a motorway at over 100mph in his mother’s disability car.

Police officers called off their high speed pursuit of the VW Touran Gordon Fraser was driving because they feared it could end in tragedy.

“He was left to go on his way,” said prosecutor Christina Rowberry. “He was located the next day.”

Fraser, of Dargets Road, Chatham, was jailed for eight months after admitting dangerous driving, but was due for early release having served most of the sentence on remand.

After hearing the 24-year-old, who had worked as an electrician for London Underground, managed to detox from cocaine use while in custody, a Maidstone Crown Court judge ordered him to address his addiction further under the supervision of the probation service.

Fraser was banned from driving for 15 months and will have to take an extended test before his licence will be returned. He will be under supervision for two years.

Miss Rowberry said the police were alerted because of “matters” at home on January 15 this year.

Fraser took the car belonging to his mother, who has a prosthetic limb. Officers followed the car at night on the A2 in Gillingham as it continued to Hoath Way.

Miss Rowberry said a second police car joined the chase. An officer managed to tell Fraser to pull over, but he swerved and sped away.

He went onto a dual carriageway where he swerved over the road to avoid one of the police cars passing. The other police car was called off.

The VW turned off the motorway at the Medway services but then returned to the M2, travelling coastbound.

“The car was weaving across lanes of traffic. At one point it was doing 100mph" - Christina Rowberry

“The car was weaving across lanes of traffic,” said Miss Rowberry. “At one point it was doing 100mph. A police car tried to stop it but there was a collision.

“It continued at a very high speed. He came off at the Sittingbourne junction.

“He went around the roundabout and rejoined the M2 doing 100mph on the hard shoulder.

“An inspector on duty called a halt to the pursuit because it was deemed the threat to other road users was too great. The distance covered was about 10 miles.”

The court heard Fraser had a history of drug abuse and mental health issues.

Judge Jeremy Carey said it reflected “a very troubled young man”. He continued: “There is a limit to what the court can do. A custodial sentence is justified but it is not some kind of panacea.

“He has difficulties which the court can do nothing about, but hopefully he can.”