Ben Westwood almost outran a police helicopter as he reached 180mph in a stolen Audi RS5 attempting to flee from a bungled petrol station raid

The Court heard that Westwood drove in the wrong direction down a motorway slip road at 70mph and almost outran a police helicopter, which recorded sparks and flames coming from the underside of the stolen and modified Audi RS5, Westwood approached the cars 200mph top speed during the 65-mile chase on the M6.The 85,000 vehicle was found abandoned in Wolverhampton. Westwood was caught nearby. Officers linked the car, which has a Lamborghini engine and is one of only two in the country, to 15 smash-and-grab raids across the Midlands between August 2011 and January. Westwood, was found guilty of dangerous driving and conspiracy to burgle and to steal at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday and will be sentenced on August 23