Dashcam at M3 junction shows man weaving through traffic

Wayne Grant, 32, sped off after he was spotted on his phone while driving along the M3 near Winchester.

Southampton Crown Court how he was on licence for a previous offence at the time, and having been told to pull over, he sped up, taking the exit for Winnall.

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Footage played in court showed the VW driver driving up the slip road before joining the busy roundabout on February 4, 2024.

Grant, of Water Lane, Winchester then began weaving through traffic as he cuts across lanes, almost crashing into the back of another vehicle at one point.

Wayne Grant. (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)

Prosecutor Keely Harvey said Grant came off the roundabout at the exit for Winnall where police lost sight of him, adding that he made a “deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road”.

They later found out his address and discovered that he had collided with a hire vehicle, transferring paint from one car to the other.

When they arrived at his address, he was not there, but Grant handed himself in to the police three days later in Southampton.

He told officers: “I apologise for my actions. I bitterly regret any trouble or anxiety I may have caused.”

Grant was recalled to prison and later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, using a phone whilst driving, failing to stop for police, failing to stop after an accident and driving otherwise in accordance with a licence.

The prosecutor added that he had a provisional driving licence at the time but was unsupervised in the vehicle.

Defending, Laura Duff said her client has displayed remorse adding that this was a “stupid decision” but “spur of the moment”.

She said he had been driving in this way because his mother was in ill health and he didn’t want to trouble anyone to help him with the journey.

At the time he was caught on his phone, she said he was leaving a voice mail and drove off because he thought he would be recalled to prison and “was just trying to get matters in place before the inevitable”.

She said: “He is entirely remorseful for his actions. He deeply regrets what he has done and in particular the impact of this on his family.

“This offence generally speaking seems out of character for him.”

Grant has previous offences for battery, theft, criminal damage, burglary, robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and driving whilst disqualified.

Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Rowland said this was a “foolish thing to do for anybody”.

He said: “You have jeopardised all the progress you have made since being released from prison.”

Grant was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for two years and seven months.

He must take an extended re-test if he wants his licence back after this period.