Thief who drove stolen vehicle wrong way down M4 jailed

A man who went on a crime spree in Swindon and drove a vehicle the wrong way down the M4 whilst it was loaded with stolen goods has been jailed for for 17 months.

Scott Lippiatt, 23, of Stanier Road, Siston, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, multiple counts of theft from a vehicle, driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent, going equipped for theft, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and without insurance and was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court.

On the evening of 15 January, officers on the Serious Youth Gang Violence and Burglary Team identified a vehicle operating in Swindon that had been involved in a number of thefts - tools were reported to have been stolen from a vehicle in Beatrice Street and motocross bikes, equipment and clothing was reported stolen in Austin Road.

Working together with their colleagues from Specialist Ops, Roads Policing and Firearms Officers, they attempted to stop the offenders.

A stolen Citroen Berlingo, which was travelling on stolen plates, was then sighted on the A3102 Blagrove travelling towards junction 16 of the M4.

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle whilst stationary at traffic lights. However, the Citroen broke out of the containment, through a red light and mounted a grass verge and drove in the wrong direction on the opposite side of the motorway. 

Three firearms units made contact with the vehicle causing it to crash at low speed into the central reservation.

All three men were arrested and taken to hospital as a precaution before being conveyed to custody.

PC Warren Johnston said: “By doing what he did, Lippiatt showed no respect for other motorists by driving in such a mindless and dangerous manner with the potential of causing multiple serious collisions.  

"This was all done with a stolen vehicle full of stolen goods he had taken from vehicles in Swindon prior to making his way onto the motorway.

"The team work displayed by multiple teams within Wiltshire and quick decisive actions of officers brought the matter to a swift and safe conclusion and allowed the return of a number of high value stolen items to the their owners.”

John Matthews, 39, of Lawrence Weston, Bristol and Chaz Bevan, 26, of Broadbury Road, Bristol, both given community orders for the roles they played.