Caravan ‘cat and mouse’ coach driver overturns ban

A Carlisle coach driver who was jailed for driving ‘like a madman’ trying to intimidate a caravan owner has had his three-year driving ban overturned.

Brian Larrad received a one-year prison sentence for dangerous driving in 2010 after he pursued a caravan for eight miles along the M6, making some of his 25 passengers call the police on their mobiles.

The National Express coach driver became enraged at the tourer’s car driver when he thought the caravan failed to give him right of way as he pulled onto the motorway.

In what was described in court as ‘an appalling piece of driving’, Larrad then played cat and mouse with the caravan as his passengers screamed at him to stop, overtaking it at 60mph then pulling in front and slowing down. He did this three times before the caravan managed to pull in front of him, forcing the coach onto the hard shoulder.

The journey along the Cumberland Gap stretch of motorway was recorded on the coach’s on-board camera, prompting the judge to say when it was shown to the court that Larrad had clearly been trying to intimidate the owner of the tourer.

Prosecutor Alan Lovett said: ‘Passengers were clearly frightened and were shouting that he was endangering people’s lives. Children were crying.’

When the coach finally stopped, a passenger punched Larrad in the face, saying that Larrad had endangered his children.

‘This man was driving like a madman,’ said Judge Paul Batty QC, adding that it was ‘entirely understandable’ that Larrad was hit by the passenger.

Larrad was subsequently jailed for a year and given a three year driving ban, which he has now successfully overturned by arguing that he needs a car to travel to work.

He will have to take an extended driving test before being allowed back on the roads.