A reckless driver caught speeding at 133mph on the M5 ended up getting one over the police when the case against him collapsed. It meant the dangerous motorist ended up getting away with doing almost double the motorway speed limit in what will likely be a frustration for police chiefs.

The driver of the Audi A1 was spotted by an officer on patrol doing a staggering 133mph on the M5 near Frankley earlier this year. It was the second fastest speed recorded by police on our region's roads during 2023.

Police launched a case against the driver but it ended up being scrapped. West Midlands Police (WMP) said there were a number of reasons why prosecutions of speeding drivers can collapse.

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This can include cars being on cloned plates or unregistered, making if difficult for officers to identify the owner. It meant the motorist potentially escaped a driving ban, such was the speed he was travelling.

It wasn't the only time a motorist caught reaching frightening speeds got away with it this year. A Land Rover was clocked by an officer doing 114mph, also on the M5 near Frankley, but police action was cancelled.

The same also happened with the driver of a Audi caught by a camera doing 113mph on the A41 Black Country Route in Wednesbury, and a Mercedes doing 110mph on the M42 between junctions 6 and 7.

Details of cases were revealed following a freedom of information request by BirminghamLive. We revealed earlier this year how around one in 10 speeding tickets end up being cancelled.

Tanya Johnson, head of WMP's prosecution team, said: "The safety of all road users is our priority and speeding is sadly one of the most common causes of serious or fatal collisions. We will always look to take action against those who put the lives of others at risk and we're part of the ongoing Operation Triton - a commitment to reduce collisions and dangerous driving - alongside our partners.

"There are various reasons why speeding tickets may need to be cancelled; such as if a vehicle is on cloned plates or unregistered so the driver is not immediately identifiable. However, in these cases we will carry out further inquiries so we can track them down and pursue even more offences.

"There are occasions where offences of speeding and driving without due care and attention are submitted. We will then look to pursue the offence with the stronger punishment - ahead of a speeding ticket - so we can ensure the law is followed to the fullest and reduce repeat offences.

"We’ve already taken action against hundreds of careless and dangerous drivers thanks to footage from dash cams and helmet cams which is submitted via our online reporting portal. We have this year increased resources in the Traffic Investigations Unit to review submissions."

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