A trucker who used the M6 hard shoulder to try and outrun police after learning his tractor unit was stolen has had his licence taken away been ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Alan Abel, 43, had been asked by a business contact to collect a Scania which was spotted by police as he travelled northbound on the motorway, near Penrith, just after 2am on July 9 this year.
Carlisle Crown Court heard Abel insisted he had no knowledge there was anything suspicious until a patrol vehicle began tailing him.
It was only after he contacted the person for whom he had collected the vehicle that he learned the truck was dirty. Worth around £20,000, it had been fitted with cloned number plates.
The court heard Abel panicked with police having put in place a rolling road block ahead to slow down other traffic and stop the lorry.
And during the course of one minute 45 seconds Abel travelled on to the hard shoulder at a maximum speed of 40mph before the incident ended just north of Penrith.
When brought to court, Abel admitted a dangerous driving charge along with having no insurance and handling stolen goods on the basis that he did not initially know the Scania had previously been stolen. No owner of the truck had yet been identified.
Mitigation for Abel, of Shaftesbury Avenue, Liverpool, was given by lawyer Marion Weir, who said he would now be forced to seek alternative employment.
“In my respectful submission these are offences that are totally out of character,” said Ms Weir, pointing out that Abel had no previous convictions.
Judge Fanning imposed a 12-month community order through which Abel must complete 200 hours’ unpaid work.
He was also banned from driving for 12 months and must pass an extended re-test before his licence is returned to him.
“There was no injury, collision or damage,” said the judge. “I have seen many instances of dangerous driving. I have watched many horrible, horrifying videos of people driving dangerously where the risk was very significant indeed; and this is a long way away from these.”
But the judge said of Abel’s driving when he learned the truth about the Scania: “You knew it was stolen and your intention was to get that vehicle away from police and you accept that is dishonest.”
