Driver banned after clocking 149mph on motorway

An uninsured driver who was caught driving at 149mph (239 km/h) on a motorway has been banned from getting behind the wheel.

Avon and Somerset Police recorded Paiwand Siamand, 25, speeding on the M5, between Junctions 24 (Sedgemoor) and 25 (Taunton) in Somerset, in a Volkswagen Golf R at about 23:20 GMT on 8 November.

Siamand, of Doncaster Road in Bristol, was disqualified from driving at Bristol Magistrates' Court on 13 March after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.

PC Nick Steele said at 149mph (239 km/h), a driver would travel more than 100 metres (328ft) before they could respond to a hazard, adding it was fortunate "nobody was significantly harmed".

On 8 November, Steele, who was in an unmarked police car performing a speed check on a different vehicle, saw Siamand pass him in lane three.

A short police chase then followed resulting in Siamand's arrest.

"Driving at 149mph on a damp, unlit motorway with moderate traffic presents an extreme danger to all road users," said Steele.

He added: "Wet conditions significantly increase braking distances, while poor lighting reduces visibility and situational awareness."

Siamand also pleaded guilty to using a vehicle without insurance and for driving otherwise in accordance with a licence.

As well as a driving ban, he was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison suspended for 24 months, 150 hours of unpaid work, and was ordered to pay £272 towards court costs.

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