A major drugs courier who led police on a 120mph chase down the M5 before officers discovered over £1 million worth of cocaine in his boot has been jailed for nearly 13 years.
David Sherratt, 48, was stopped by West Midlands Police after a dramatic pursuit involving unmarked cars and a police helicopter. The chase, which stretched along the M5 and M42, ended near Alvechurch after officers deployed a stinger device to deflate his tyres and boxed in his black Peugeot 3008.
Inside the vehicle, officers found Sports Direct bags containing 18kg of cocaine – with a wholesale value of up to £1.3 million.
Upon his arrest, Sherratt was seen smashing his phone against the dashboard in a failed attempt to destroy evidence.
Despite his efforts, messages recovered from his mobile revealed a wider operation: Sherratt had been involved in transporting an estimated 135kg of cocaine – worth up to £5 million – across the country. He was being paid £200 per kilo delivered and was expecting to earn £20,000 over just six weeks.
When confronted with the find, Sherratt reportedly told officers, “Not a bad day,” before adding, “Good day at the office, lads.”
At Birmingham Crown Court last Monday, Sherratt, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison after admitting to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession with intent to supply, and dangerous driving.
Sherratt has a long criminal history, with 12 convictions for 19 offences dating back to 1995, including a six-year sentence in 2016 for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and another term of over four years in 2020 for similar offences.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Cooke, from the Regional Organised Crime Unit for the West Midlands, praised the officers involved, stating:
“This is a major recovery of drugs that would have ultimately been sold on the streets of the UK and caused untold misery.
Sherratt’s attempt to get away from our officers was dangerous and put other road users at risk, but great work by the Road Crime Team meant the pursuit was brought to a safe conclusion.”
The Road Crime Team, known for targeting serious and organised criminals using high-performance and unmarked vehicles, continues to play a vital role in taking drugs and dangerous individuals off our roads.