A drink driver who sped away from police at 100mph has been banned from driving. 

When eventually caught by police officers on the M4 near Swindon, Reading man Joel Stephen, 31, was seen to have eyes that were red and bloodshot and failed a roadside breath test. 

A further test taken at the police station after his arrest showed that he had 52 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. 

Stephen, of Ogmore Close, Tilehurst, who had no previous convictions, overtook an unmarked police car at speed on July 13, sparking a chase.

Abbie Winters, prosecuting, said: "He did not stop immediately for police and he is lucky it was later in the evening when the roads were quiet."

Defending Stephen, Mr Glendenning said: "He was at his own leaving do and had no ambition of driving home when he received a call from his wife that his child had received an injury, so he then took it upon himself to drive home."

Mr Glendenning also told magistrates Stephen, who was a civil engineer, was just about to start a new job and that a driving ban would impact this.

Stephen was given a 16-month disqualification from driving, which would be shortened on the successful completion of a drink-driving awareness course.

He was also ordered to pay £1,429 in fines, surcharges and prosecution costs.