A motorist who swerved from lane to lane of the M25 for at least 10 minutes, drove into oncoming traffic and then blew an alcohol reading almost four times the drink-drive limit has escaped a jail sentence.

Walerij Mirosznikow was told by a judge it was "only by some miracle" no one was hurt or any vehicle - save his own - damaged during his prolonged episode of dangerous driving on three busy routes.

Shocking dashcam and phone footage captured the provisional licence holder veering across the motorway in his Toyota Yaris from junction 3 at Swanley before taking the A21.

He then pulled off onto the A25 near Sevenoaks, only to suddenly stop, mount a central grass verge and perform a five-point turn to end up facing in the wrong direction.

His manoeuvre forced horrified oncoming drivers to come to a standstill and then divide as he headed towards and through the two lanes of traffic in front of him.

One appalled motorist even opened their door yelling at him to stop but to no avail.

Oblivious to the danger he was causing, the highly intoxicated 53-year-old then continued on his way, having eventually managed to pull onto the correct side of the road.

But his drunken journey finally came to an end - and arrest - when he crashed into Beggars Lane roundabout in Westerham.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the Medway resident was alone in the car, despite not having a full driver's licence, had his full beam headlights on, and appeared "shocked and drunk".

He subsequently gave a breath-alcohol reading of 136 micrograms (mcg) when the legal drink-drive limit is 35mcg.

But despite his driving being described as "absolutely atrocious", the twice-married Russian was not only spared prison when he appeared for sentence on December 23 but also handed the minimum driving ban required by law for his offending.

Prosecutor Alban Brahimi told the court it was at about 2.30pm on July 9 2023 that Mirosznikow was first seen swerving from lane to lane of the anticlockwise M25 carriageway.

As well as there being no use of his indicators, he also straddled lanes at times and braked without reason, causing other vehicles to do the same "rather harshly", said Mr Brahimi, and to veer out of his way to avoid being hit.

Although he did not appear to be speeding, dashcam footage from a vehicle tailing his Yaris showed the car travelling erratically between 54mph and 66mph.

Describing his offending up until the moment he crashed, Mr Brahimi told the court it was not the result of "a lapse in judgement".

"It's prolonged, continuous driving. There were 10 minutes where he was caught on dashcam and then a further four minutes before he reached the roundabout," he said.

"There was also the highly dangerous manoeuvre of driving the wrong way, having taken a turn when there was no turn available.

"Fortunately, no injury was caused to others but damage was done to his vehicle."

Mirosznikow, of Hannah Close, Chatham, gave two 'no comment' interviews following his arrest - even after he had been shown the footage - but later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, drink-driving and driving without a licence.

Although he was fined £40 by Sevenoaks magistrates for the offence of having no licence, his case in respect of the more serious charges was committed to the crown court for sentencing.

At that hearing, defence barrister Eleanor Gwilym told the judge, Recorder Nicola Williams, that her client's behaviour that day was "an anomaly in his life".

Adding that he had not touched a drop of alcohol since, she explained: "He now feels stupid and remorseful and has explained to me that he had a rather difficult time in his life at the time this was committed and a fairly recent breakdown of his marriage.

"It can properly be seen as a one-off and he is capable of being rehabilitated....He has not drunk at all since this incident, not even socially."

She also told the court that Mirosznikow, who has been in the UK for 12 years, has one previous conviction for theft, and is currently on benefits, had been diagnosed with depression.

Deciding she did not need to immediately jail the defendant, Recorder Williams remarked that his "impressive" 17-month alcohol abstinence demonstrated that he was "taking his offending seriously".

"I think it is always a real shame when someone reaches the age of 52, which you were then, and 53 now, and finds themself in the dock," she told Mirosznikow, who was assisted in court by an interpreter.

"You are now a drink-driver and a thief. But there is always something positive that can be said for anyone and that includes you.

"You pleaded guilty at the first opportunity so you didn't waste the court's time and additional money on an unnecessary trial.

"I have also read the pre-sentence report about the breakdown of your second marriage and the immensely personal reasons for it, that you are suffering from depression, and that at least now have attempted to deal with it with medication.

"You have also not had a drink, I'm told, since this incident. That is particularly impressive.

"However, as impressive as that is - and the strength it takes to not drink alcohol for such a long period of time - your driving was absolutely atrocious.

"You made a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road....It was a prolonged piece of dangerous driving over at least 10 minutes.

"Everything was impaired by drink. You were nearly four times the legal amount.

"It was only by some miracle that you didn't damage anyone else's vehicle, cause anyone injury or, in the way you were driving while being so much over the limit, killed somebody."

Recorder Williams imposed a 12-month jail term suspended for 18 months, with 200 hours of unpaid work and up to 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

She also gave him the statutory minimum one-year driving ban applicable to offences of dangerous driving and drink-driving, although he was ordered to take an extended test to obtain a licence.

Mirosznikow must also pay £150 court costs and £187 victim surcharge.