Drunk Drivers Drives on Wrong Side of Motorway

A woman who sped down the motorway for 23 miles in the wrong direction was twice over the drink drive limit.Deborah Hunt tore down the M5 past oncoming vehicles and almost collided with a police car which had blue lights flashing.The 43-year-old drove her Peugeot 806 northbound at 60 miles an hour in the fast lane of a southbound carriageway for 23 miles – despite being chased by police with their ‘blues and twos’ on.Hunt was only caught when her car ran out of petrol on the hard shoulder – almost three junctions after she joined the motorway.When officers arrested her, she smelt strongly of alcohol and was still trying to start her engine.The mother-of-three is now facing jail after she pleaded guilty at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court on Monday to dangerous driving, having excess alcohol and no insurance.Hunt shook uncontrollably in the dock and wept as she admitted the offences.Magistrates Nick Baker, chairman of the bench, said: ‘This was a very dangerous incident. You drove for 23 miles the wrong way in the third lane of the motorway.’You didn’t realise you were being pursued by police, were two-and-a-half times the drink drive limit and uninsured.’ The court heard Hunt had been drinking to drown her sorrows over her impending divorce before she got behind the wheel of her Peugeot on July 14.She joined the wrong carriageway of the M5 at junction 24, Bridgwater, Somerset, at 11.30pm.