The moment a drink-driver was arrested after swerving across the A14 has been caught on camera. 

Mitchell Dickenson, 31, of Redpoll Road, Costessey has been jailed for 20 months and disqualified from driving for 46 months after he swerved into the path of a police car on the A14 whilst over the drink-drive limit and assaulting a police officer. 

Dickenson, who was residing in Woodley, near Reading in Berkshire, at the time of the incident, had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous drivng, driving whilst unfit through drink, assault on an emergency service worker, failing to provide a preliminary drug test. 

At 10.55pm on November 22 last year, police received reports that a Land Rover Freelander was being driven erratically on the A14 eastbound near Woolpit.

Officers located the car about 10 minutes later near junction 50 at Stowmarket where it appeared to be stationary with its hazard lights on.

It then began to pick up speed but was indicating left as if to pull over to the nearside, so the police car – which was marked and had its blue lights on – pulled alongside the Land Rover, at which point Dickenson swerved his vehicle towards it in an apparent attempt to ram the police car.

The officers dropped back to request assistance from colleagues to stop the vehicle, before making a second attempt to get alongside the Land Rover, but again Dickenson swerved towards them and tried to force the police car into the central reservation.

The officers dropped back and continued to follow as they awaited support from other units. At this point Dickenson was driving at speeds between 60mph and 100mph, weaving across the road and one point slammed on the brakes causing the police car to make an emergency stop.

On returning back to the Claydon junction, the officers – who had now been joined by other colleagues – found that Dickenson had crashed and overturned the car on the roundabout and was standing beside it with cuts to his face and head.

Dickenson was then arrested for dangerous driving and subsequently failed a roadside breath test, providing a sample of 101 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, which is almost three times the legal limit.

He then refused to provide a saliva sample for a roadside drugs test.

Dickenson was transported to Ipswich Hospital in an ambulance to be checked over for his injuries, escorted by a police officer.

Throughout the journey he was verbally abusive towards the police officer and paramedics.

On arrival at hospital, he kicked out at the police officer as he was trying to secure Dickenson to the trolley, making contact with the back of the officer’s head.