Reckless Southsea cocaine-fuelled driver jailed for trail of destruction on Eastern Road involving five crashes that left people fearing they would die

Danger-driver Michael Page, 37, left a trail of destruction on the Eastern Road and Milton Road on July 3 when he was involved in five collisions just after midday. His actions left three people injured and caused massive disruption in and around the key link in and out of the city.

Drunk Page, of Palmerston Road, Southsea, was jailed for wreaking havoc after he was found to be three times the drink-drive limit. Southampton Crown Court heard the red mist had descended when he was driving his Citroen Berlingo van intoxicated with a terrified passenger inside.

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Prosecutor Ruba Huleihel said: ‘(The passenger) remembers telling him to slow down and other (people in cars) were beeping at him which he was aware of as he was putting his finger up at the drivers.’

Page’s menacing driving started on Milton Road when he collided into stationary traffic and drove off before then going onto the Eastern Road where he hit a BMW and then a Kia Rio. Page then continued on the wrong side of the Eastern Road and crashed into the front nearside of a Skoda Superb, resulting in his car flipping before smashing into a Vauxhall Astra.

Following the crash, the passenger was left ‘terrified’ with it now a ‘struggle’ to go in a car. The court heard the victim feared they would die in the carnage.

The driver of the Kia said in a statement read out to court: ‘I felt shock and horror as the van came towards me. If I had not taken evasive action I could have been seriously injured or killed.’

The driver said they are still suffering symptoms six months on including PTSD, as well as dizziness and shoulder and neck ‘issues’.

The couple in the Skoda were left ‘extremely shaken up’ and £3,000 out of pocket with the female passenger, who suffered back and chest pain, still ‘waking up crying’ and suffering sleepless nights months after the crash. ‘We couldn’t believe what happened. All we were doing was going to the shops,’ they said.

Daniel Reilly, defending, said Page, a plasterer by trade, was ‘very distressed’ about what happened. But the barrister conceded: ‘It was good fortune matters were not more serious.’

The lawyer told the court depressed Page had been going through a break-up with his partner and had turned to using ‘alcohol excessively’. The impact of lockdown from the Covid pandemic had also led to a ‘struggle with mental health’.

Mr Reilly said Page had sought counselling amid ‘positive changes’ and was described as a ‘brilliant, loving and caring father’ by a close friend.

But judge Nicholas Rowland said the offences were ‘too serious’ to suspend before jailing Page for 14 months. He was also given a driving ban of three years with an extension of seven months and must take an extended driving test.

Page admitted five charges including dangerous driving, failing to provide a breath specimen, failing to stop, and driving without due care and attention, and another drink-connected offence.