Ex-soldier jailed for 100mph M4 chase during PTSD episode

A former soldier suffering a PTSD episode led police on a dangerous high-speed pursuit that saw him race along the M4 hard shoulder at over 100mph, tear through a motorway service station, and abandon his vulnerable passenger at an airfield.

Jason Maddocks, 36, of Portmead Place, Blaenymaes, Swansea, was sentenced to 14 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, two counts of drug-driving, failing to stop, criminal damage, and possession of cocaine.

The dramatic chase began on 1st October last year when Wiltshire Police received reports that a high-risk missing woman was travelling in a blue Peugeot driven by Maddocks in the Chippenham area. When officers signalled for the vehicle to stop, he sped off.

A prolonged pursuit followed through the villages of Yatton Keynell, Castle Combe, The Gibb, and Acton Turville, with Maddocks reaching 50mph in 20mph zones, speeding through junctions, overtaking multiple cars, and driving on the wrong side of the road. Officers noted his driving was becoming “more erratic” as the chase continued.

Maddocks then joined the M4 eastbound, swerving through traffic and racing along the hard shoulder at speeds exceeding 100mph. He drove into and straight back out of Leigh Delamere services at speeds topping 60mph, forcing his way through traffic before continuing eastbound.

The defendant left the motorway at junction 17, pushing through stationary traffic held by police at the top of the slip road. He drove over a stinger tyre-puncturing device and continued fleeing along the A429 towards Malmesbury.

The chase ended when Maddocks turned into Hullavington airfield—a former RAF base and Army barracks now owned by Dyson—driving through the entrance barrier before going off-road across the grass. He abandoned the car, climbed over a fence, and fled on foot before surrendering to officers as a police helicopter circled overhead.

Officers searching the car found cocaine, and the high-risk missing person was taken to a place of safety. Blood tests revealed Maddocks was three times over the legal driving limit for cocaine and almost nine times over the limit for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

Maddocks has nine previous convictions for 21 offences, including drink-driving, driving whilst disqualified, battery, and possession of various drugs. In 2022, he was sentenced to 30 months at Swansea Crown Court for dealing cocaine, ecstasy, and cannabis—on that occasion, the court heard he kept drugs hidden in a Pringles tube with a false bottom.

Defence barrister Sarah John told the court Maddocks left the Army in 2011 following two tours of Afghanistan and was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She said he turned to drugs to self-medicate the symptoms of PTSD.

Miss John explained that on the day of the pursuit, Maddocks was experiencing a “PTSD episode” and was in a “dark and difficult place”. She added that when he heard police sirens, he panicked. The court heard he previously ran a coffee shop but the business closed when he was recalled to prison for missing probation appointments. He now runs his own carpet cleaning business.

Judge told the veteran he had shown an “absolute disregard” for the safety of others and said it was only by luck that nobody had been seriously injured or killed.

With one-third discounts for his guilty pleas, Maddocks was sentenced to 14 months in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence. He was also banned from driving for three years and seven months and must pass an extended test before he can get a licence.

Speaking after sentencing, Wiltshire Police PC Nick Slade said: “This was a lengthy pursuit around several villages north of Chippenham – these are rural roads through villages where there could have been children crossing, cyclists and horse riders using the roads, yet Maddocks showed absolutely no regard for anyone else’s safety and was determined to flee from police. In doing so, he drove at excess speed, at times towards oncoming traffic, and even doing 100mph along the hard shoulder.

“This is totally unacceptable, and combined with such a disregard for others, he truly deserved to feel the full force of the law. I am glad he has been given a custodial sentence as well as a lengthy driving disqualification so he no longer poses a danger to road users.”