A banned driver who led police on a 40-mile pursuit and nearly crashed into a lorry while towing a stolen caravan has been jailed for 20 months.

Steven Beeson, of Wednesbury Road, Walsall, was also banned from driving for three years and will have to take an extended test to requalify after his “reckless behaviour”.

The 40-year-old was at the wheel of a stolen Mitsubishi L200 pick-up truck towing the caravan – both of which were on false number plates – when they were spotted heading towards Trentham on the northbound A34 last June.

He failed to stop for Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) officers and nearly hit a lorry at the entrance to junction 15 on the southbound M6 before speeding through roadworks until he was finally stopped at Hilton Park Services near junction 11.

Beeson admitted driving while disqualified and theft of a caravan and was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on March 26.

Video footage of the near-collision was released by Staffordshire Police, and following the case PC Andrew Sigley of the CMPG said: “Beeson demonstrated some very dangerous driving and was lucky he did not cause a collision with another motorist. The excellent work by our pursuit team meant we were able to bring this reckless behaviour to a safe end.”