Motorway 'stunt' driver escapes jail term

A driver who pulled a number of handbrake turns on the M62 near Rochdale has escaped a jail sentence.

20-year old Marc Kirk, from Keighley, West Yorkshire, put other drivers at huge risk as he skidded across all three lanes of the motorway but he has only been fined for the stunt.
A Manchester Crown Court judge wanted to impose a six-month suspended jail term but could not do so because Kirk was about to start a new job in Ireland and would not be able to complete community service.

CCTV footage showed Kirk pulling into the hard shoulder near junction 18 of the motorway and ordering his girlfriend and two other friends out of the car. He pulls away before making a sudden U-turn and heading back towards oncoming traffic, attempting a 180 degree handbrake turn before coming to a halt in the middle lane. He heads back towards the hard shoulder as oncoming cars swerve out of his way and then pulls another handbrake turn.

When Kirk was caught by a traffic officer he assaulted him by the side of the busy motorway before he was finally restrained.

Kirk has been banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay £1,800 in compensation to the traffic officer.