VIDEO: Drunk driver caught on camera smashing into central reservation of A14 in Northamptonshire avoids jail

Martin Cantrill, aged 43, appeared at Northampton Crown Court after he admitted dangerous driving.

The court heard Cantrill was driving a white rover on the dual carriageway near Kettering when he swerved across the path of a car with a dashboard camera.

The footage shows Cantrill’s’ vehicle crashing into the central reservation and then completing a 360 degree spin in the road, before he then continues his journey.

The three-minute footage from November 19 last year then shows Cantrill’s car swerve across the road again, narrowly avoiding a collision with a lorry.

Paul Prior, prosecuting, said, two hours later, Cantrill was then found in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, which was parked in a layby near Thrapston.

The police officer described how Cantrill was “slumped against the steering wheel” and was not wearing any shoes.

Mr Prior said: “The defendant had a smashed pint glass at his feet and a bottle of wine in the passenger seat.”

The court heard, after being told to stay in his car, Cantrill smashed the windscreen and then walked out into the A605 road.

Mr Prior said the police officer was forced to flag oncoming traffic down to stop them from colliding with him.

A roadside breath test revealed Cantrill was three-and-a-half times the legal drink drive limit. After being taken into police custody in Corby, he refused to give another breath test so was charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath.

Michael Coley, mitigating, said Cantrill had been suffering from an alcohol problem at the time of the incident but had not had an alcoholic drink for the past nine months after making contact with a counselling service.

Mr Coley said: “He has very little recollection of this incident. He has been shown footage of the incident and he was disgusted by his behaviour.

“He has lost his job and now he will lose his licence.”

His Honour Judge Timothy Smith sentenced Cantrill, of Wyvern, Telford, to 10 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He has also been disqualified from driving for three years.