BMW driver suspected of drink driving found by police after M6 crash

Kevin Keating, of Tower Hill, Kirkby, was driving his black BMW along the northbound carriageway of the M6 between junction 19 and 20 on April 22 last year when the collision occurred. He appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court on Tuesday for sentencing for one offence of failure to provide a specimen sample. The court heard that the defendant hit an HGV trailer while travelling along the carriageway and continued to drive off after the crash.

Cheshire Police confirmed the collision was reported to the police by the HGV driver and 'officers were deployed'. They located Keating's vehicle on the hard shoulder of the same motorway. The vehicle was described by the complainant as in 'very poor state with a crumpled bonnet and smoke billowing from the engine'.

A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said the defendant 'smelt strongly of intoxicants' when he was pulled over by officers. "He was aggressive, uncooperative, and vile mouthed to officers so was detained and placed into the rear of a police vehicle." Keating refused to provide a roadside breath test for police or a drug swipe.

Due to the 'significant damage' visible on the defendant's vehicle, the 51-year-old was taken to Warrington Hospital where he was seen for his injuries. While at the hospital, a bloods procedure was commenced and Keating 'again refused and failed to provide the required bloods sample', Cheshire Police confirmed. Prosecutor, Gayle McCoubrey, noted during his sentencing that Keating had 12 previous convictions for 17 offences - the last also being a failure to provide a sample dating back to April 2024.

The defendant was unrepresented and provided no comment on the offence. He was handed a suspended jail sentence of 12 weeks, suspended for 12 months. Keating was ordered to carry out 20 Rehabilitation Requirement Days and be subjected to an alcohol monitoring tag for 90 days.

He was fined a total of ?804 in costs to the courts and was disqualified from driving for three years.