A JOYRIDER who sparked a 50-mile high-speed police chase up a pitch-black motorway has walked free from court.

Nigel Saunders, 25, drove a stolen car at 115mph up the M5 from Taunton, weaving across all three lanes with no lights on while being chased by police cars.

He was given a 12-month suspended sentence and disqualified from driving for three years after admitting aggravated vehicle taking, making off without payment and licensing offences at Taunton Crown Court on Tuesday.

The court heard how Saunders stole a Ford Escort from outside a house in Bridgwater on August 21 this year, before stealing £54 of petrol from the Moto service station and heading to Taunton with pals Liam Passco, 21, and Tommy Tremayne, 20.

When officers spotted the car Saunders went on a rampage, jumping red lights at Creech Castle and speeding up the motorway for 50 miles to junction 19, where the tyres were eventually stung by police spikes, causing the car to smash into bollards.

Passco, of Shearwater Close, Bridgwater, and Tremayne, of Millwood Close, Bridgwater, were both given nine-month suspended sentences and disqualified from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty to being in the stolen car during the pursuit.

Judge David Ticehurst said: “If you [Saunders] get to the age of 50 you will have spent more time behind bars than out and about. You are not bright enough to commit offences and get away with it. Your driving was very dangerous. You could have killed somebody, yourself or your passengers.”

Defending Saunders, of Syden-ham Road, Bridgwater, Virginia Cornwall said: “He has a bad record but not for driving. He’s spent a considerable amount of time in prison and there are signs that he can make progress.”