A FATHER of three who stopped and got out of his car on the M40 while four times over the drink-driving limit has been jailed.

Judge Ian Pringle QC said the actions of Johanathan Rancijh, 39, of Beeton Road, Birmingham were among the 'worst pieces' of dangerous driving he had seen.

Rancijh was driving northbound on the motorway near junction 8A for Oxford on January 31 at just after 7pm.

Over a 25 minute period dash-cam footage, captured from a recovery vehicle which was travelling on the motorway at the same time, showed Rancijh swerving between lanes, slowing down to speeds of as low as 15mph and coming to a stop twice in the outside lane.

The court heard how a major accident had been prevented only by the quick thinking of the recovery vehicle driver, Guy Rowbottom, who tailed Rancijh's silver ford focus and warned other drivers of what was happening with his hazard lights.

The motorway had been crowded at the time and weather conditions of mist and fog were already making driving difficult.

At around 7.40pm, Rancijh's car came to a stop again in the outside lane for more than 10 minutes during which time he reversed slightly and then got out of his car and walked back along the central reservation.

Police eventually arrived and, when tested, 144mcg of alcohol was found in 100ml of breath, exceeding the limit of 35mcg.

In mitigation barrister Ayelen Tunon, told the court that Rancijh had been drinking at his uncle's funeral the day before and had held an 'exemplary record' before the incident.

Judge Pringle jailed the former bakery worker for 10 months and disqualified him from driving for three years and five months.

He said: "I do not exaggerate when I say this was one of the worst pieces of dangerous driving I have seen in my career.

"The potential for catastrophic injuries to be caused was very real."