A MOTORIST who drove at 140mph on a motorway hard shoulder and made a U-turn into oncoming traffic during a police chase has been jailed.

Police attempted to pull over Stephen Beaumont over near to junction nine of the M62 at Winwick shortly before 11.30am on Monday, December 2 2019, after he was spotted driving a Ford Fiesta with false number plates.

But the 30-year-old sped away along the hard shoulder of the westbound carriageway, reaching speeds of up to 140mph during the following pursuit and swerving between lanes in order to avoid being caught by officers.

Beaumont got off the motorway at junction seven for Rainhill, but then got back onto the same carriageway via the entry slip road before doing a U-turn into the oncoming traffic.

He was quickly rammed by a police car before he could continue any further in the wrong direction of the M62 and arrested.

The defendant admitted dangerous driving, drive while disqualified and driving without insurance at Liverpool Crown Court.

He was handed 27 months behind bars, having also been convicted of a second count of dangerous driving as well as handling stolen goods and possession of cannabis.

Beaumont, from Sefton, was also banned from driving for five years and 45 days.