Danger driver banned over M6 manoeuvres

A driver who darted across motorway lanes and deliberately braked hard in front of a car that remonstrated with him has been banned for a year.

Xin Zhou, 33, of Catena Rise, Lightwater, Surrey, was caught on dashcam on the M6 in Cumbria.

The footage showed the Audi driver tailgating a van and undertaking a Nissan, Cumbria Police said.

He was also given a six-week community order and curfew after being found guilty at Carlisle Crown Court Court.

Police said the Nissan driver flashed their lights at Zhou after he undertook them in August 2021 near Junction 36 at Milton, prompting Zhou to slam on his brakes and causing the Nissan to swerve to avoid him.

But Zhou mirrored the Nissan's manoeuvre and continued to brake hard, causing both vehicles to almost come to a stop, a force spokesman said.

In a police interview, Zhou denied purposely slamming on his brakes to deliberately block the path of the Nissan behind, telling officers he had slowed as he feared a fault on his car.

When asked why, if this was the case, he did not move on to the hard shoulder instead of braking almost to a standstill on a live motorway, he said he had never used a hard shoulder and thought his actions were acceptable on the carriageway.

Sgt Claire Sampson of Cumbria Police said: "The manner of driving displayed by Zhou put numerous drivers at risk and could easily have resulted in tragedy, were the drivers around him not aware and competent enough behind the wheel to prevent a collision.

"This conviction is a direct result of a member of the public submitting dashcam footage highlighting the dangerous driving of another motorist."

Zhou was also ordered to pay £750 in costs and a victim surcharge of £95 and will have to take an extended driving test.

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