Man screamed and sobbed in court following M27 police chase sentence

Mark Hilden was jailed to six and a half years behind bars Credit: Hampshire Constabulary

A man, who crashed his car as a result of a high-speed police chase, screamed and sobbed as he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Mark Hilden, 24 from Romsey appeared at Southampton Crown Court after he was caught driving 100 miles an hour on the M27 near Southampton, which sparked a police pursuit.

Police said he failed to stop and continued along the motorway several miles.

A woman was holding a one-year-old baby, unrestrained on her lap in the front seat.

The 24-year-old was three and a half times over the drug driving limit, had never taken a driving test, was disqualified and uninsured.

At a previous hearing, he pleaded guilty to child neglect, drug driving, failing to stop for police, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance

In court, Hilden screamed and sobbed, crying 'oh no' as he was sentenced. The judge told him he'd exposed the child to extremely serious injury or worse, putting himself before her safety as he tried to outrun the police.

The court also heard about Hilden's terrible record of driving offences. He had eight or nine previous convictions for driving while disqualified and was serving a suspended prison sentence at the time.

The police pursuit took place in January and ended when Hilden crashed into a police car and another vehicle containing a 12-year-old girl, as he tried to leave the motorway at junction two.

He has also been disqualified from driving for six years and three months.