A DRINK driver who repeatedly weaved across lanes on the M53 and reached 100mph was caught by an off-duty policeman.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today that the experienced officer, who was driving to work, stated he had never seen driving as dangerous as that exhibited by Christopher Shaw.

PC Michael Borrowman said: "I have been involved in pursuits of stolen vehicles driven in a less dangerous manner.

"It was a miracle the defendant did not end up killing someone during the incident."

During the five miles of dangerous driving along the Upton by-pass and then the M53 towards the Wallasey Tunnel, Shaw clipped a kerb with his 4x4 vehicle, throwing up dust and debris which caused a windscreen chip to the police officer's car.

When he reached the tunnel toll booths the officer pulled alongside and "immediately saw his eyes were glazed and he smelt of intoxicants," said Mandy Patel, prosecuting.

Sentencing 35-year-old Shaw, a former Royal Marine Reservist, who had been found to have consumed one and a half times the drink driving limit, the judge told him he was “very lucky” that he had not caused an accident and injured innocent motorists.

Shaw, of Ridgemere Road in Pensby was sentenced to a total of 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years.

Recorder Stephen Riordan, QC, also ordered him to carry out up to 20 days rehabilitation activities and 120 hours unpaid work.

He banned Shaw, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol, from the road for two years and he cannot get back behind the wheel until he has passed an extended driving test.

Miss Patel told told the court that the incident began at 9.20pm on April 20, while Shaw was the subject of a community order imposed last September for assault causing actual bodily harm.

The off-duty officer was on the Upton by-pass when he spotted Shaw speeding up behind and then under-taking him, forcing him to brake sharply as the lanes were merging into one and Shaw's vehicle narrowly-missed him.

Shaw’s large vehicle was swerving all over the road, weaving in and out of lanes and when the officer rang the police operator to alert them he told them he feared, ‘he’s going to kill someone.’

The 4x4 reached approximately 100 mph and when he reached the New Brighton exit he went onto the slip road but then shot back across the chevrons onto the motorway and a car had to brake to avoid a collision, as had others previously.

He continued driving erratically, swerving from side to side and collided with the central reservation kerb on his way towards the tunnel, she said.

When spoken to at the toll booths he denied driving dangerously but was arrested after a roadside breath test proved positive and later test revealed 53 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Alaric Walmsley, defending, said that Shaw, who has three previous convictions, is a father-of-two who was currently not employed but usually worked in the off-shore oil industry in Scotland.

He had been a Royal Marine Reservist for six and a half years, he added.