A dad chased his ex-girlfriend down the M62 at 100mph then rammed her car with their baby inside.
Daniel Jones' trembling former partner fled to a police station in terror, where his attack astonishingly continued. A judge described his driving as "some of the worst imaginable", but allowed him to walk free from court.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that the 25-year-old had been in a relationship with the victim for five years and had an eight-month-old son together, but they split up around February this year. Jones, of St Patricks Close in Widnes, then became enraged when she began seeing another man.
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On March 24, he sent him a sinister message on Facebook reading "I suggest you f***ing hide if I were you". At around 11am five days later on March 29, he rang her while she was at the park with her new boyfriend and the baby.
Jones turned up at the scene shortly afterwards, causing them to get into her car and drive off. He tailed them in his own vehicle though, "driving right up behind her" and reaching high speeds as she attempted to get away.
She entered the M62 and topped 100mph in an unsuccessful attempt to flee as her ex flashed his lights, swerved between lanes and undertook other vehicles. She exited the motorway at Knotty Ash before re-entering and dialling 999.
The mum was advised to drive to Edge Lane Police Station, and was followed there by Jones. As she approached the entrance, he drove the wrong way up a one-way service road to the site and deliberately shunted her car to the front of the driver's side.
The court was played CCTV footage of the crash - after which the defendant got out of his car, approached her window and began aggressively ranting at her and grabbed her wing mirror. He ran back to his vehicle when she began reversing back up to the main road, and the pair appeared to be in a stand-off before an officer apprehended Jones.
Joanne Cronshaw, prosecuting, described how the victim was left "terrified and trembling" while their child had been left "crying throughout" the ordeal. In a statement which was read out to the court on her behalf, she said: "I'm still in disbelief over how Daniel behaved on the day of the incident.
"I just wanted him to calm down and leave me alone - I never expected him to take this as far as this, to endanger the life of not only me but our baby boy. I don't know what was going through his head."
After his arrest, Jones said he had sent the message "in the heat of the moment". He added that he "couldn't remember any details" about his driving, but "just wanted to speak to them about his son".
Both parties still live under the same roof of the house they own together. Stella Hayden, defending, described her client - who has no previous convictions and is employed at a garage in St Helens - as a "hard-working, caring family man".
She added: "He lost himself in anger when he saw his ex-partner with another male and acted on impulse in a way that was dangerous. It was through sheer good fortune that no accident was caused and no injury was caused.
"He fully acknowledges that he allowed anger to overtake him and he was struggling to cope with the breakdown of his family. He was heartbroken that his life appeared to be falling apart.
"He is ashamed of his conduct that day. He has only ever contributed positive hitherto to society - his actions that day were wholly out of character and are not something he will ever repeat."
Jones admitted dangerous driving and sending a threatening message and was handed a 13-month imprisonment suspended for two years. He was also told to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, serve a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days and pay £1,000 in compensation to Ms Benyon plus a victim surcharge.
Sentencing, Recorder Richard Cowley said: "This relationship broke down and you couldn't handle that. It is understandable that the breakdown of a relationship of such significance would cause you to feel upset, confused, angry and any number of emotions.
"But none of these emotions can even begin to excuse what you did. Even the fact that she pulled into a police station didn't stop you.
"The manner of driving was really some of the worst kind imaginable. You had no regard for the danger you caused other road users.
"Most disturbingly, you had no regard for the danger you were potentially causing to your young baby. That simply beggars belief - you didn't care two hoots for his safety.
"I accept that you have taken steps to rehabilitate yourself and that you will, in due course, be fully rehabilitated. You have stepped up as a father, working hard to provide a good home and standard of living.
"I am going to take an exceptional course in your case and suspended the sentence. You will not be going to prison today.
"You have kept your liberty by a whisker today. Don't let it happen again."
Jones was banned from driving for 18 months and must pass a retest.
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