'Depressed' driver escapes jail

A man who drove the wrong way on the M6 motorway while under the influence of drink, has escaped prison.

Michael Spedding said he was depressed at the time, because he thought he had cancer.

Magistrates in Kendal heard the 49-year-old manager with British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL), was three times over the drink drive limit, when the incident happened in September.

The court heard how Spedding, from Cleator Moor, thought he had cancer after recently seeing his father die.

He also claimed fears over the future of his job had added to a severe bout of depression.

He admitted dangerous driving and being over the alcohol limit.

He received two suspended sentences and a 30-month driving ban.

Custodial sentence

The court was told police received a 999 call at about 0100 BST on 19 September and found Spedding travelling south on the northbound carriageway of the M6, where he eventually crashed into the central reservation near junction 43.

Spedding's defence solicitor, Paul Williams said his client had become "seriously depressed" because of personal problems.

He said Spedding's father had recently died of cancer and he had been told that there may be redundancies in his department at BNFL.

He had also learned of a shadow on his lung, although no cancer was diagnosed.

Mr Williams said: "My client felt his world was collapsing around him."

Magistrates had told Spedding that only a custodial sentence was appropriate for offences which could have cost lives.

But the sentences - six months for dangerous driving and five months for being over the drink drive limit - were suspended because the bench accepted Spedding was suffering from depression and anxiety, and that prison would only impair his recovery.