A registered blind man who drove 150 miles from West Yorkshire towards Scotland while drunk, navigating by following lorry lights, has been spared jail despite what a court heard was "prolonged and persistent" dangerous driving. Anthony Hall, 50, admitted taking his partner's car without permission after drinking four bottles of wine, and told police he understood the risks of driving as a blind man but wanted to get as far from home as possible amid family and financial disputes. The case is notable both for the extreme danger posed and for the leniency shown after his lawyer cited a mental "breakdown".

Hall, who has some light perception but no formal sight, drove for over two hours before police stopped him near junction 44 of the M6 close to Carlisle after spotting the car weaving across lanes and drifting onto the hard shoulder. He recorded a breath alcohol reading of 46 micrograms against a legal limit of 35, and had only stopped once during the journey, at a petrol station where an attendant filled the car for him. He pleaded guilty at Kirklees Magistrates' Court to dangerous driving, drink-driving, taking a vehicle without consent, and driving without a licence or insurance, receiving a 36-week sentence suspended for 18 months, a 12-month driving ban, rehabilitation requirements and financial penalties.