he deserves this sentence and more. ask those of us who have lost family to car accidents caused by people speeding on the road. he should have got an even longer jail sentence and a hefty fine.

michelle, durban, south africa

Obviously too many posters here do not have any idea of what the road looks like once you pass 130 mph or so. The lane in front of you that looked so big a moment ago becomes a really narrow strip all of a sudden and cars ahead of you appear as if by magic and cannot be avoided if right in front of you. If he had been driving his own car I could see that the sentence might be a bit on the stiff side, but considering that he had been repeatedly told not to take that car from his employer, I cannot feel much simpathy for the man.
As far as driving Ferraris or Porches on the autobahn full out, the large difference is that it's allowed, and people drive taking that into account. That's not the case in the UK.
You could be Michael Schumacher, but if someone up ahead, who does not have you in the rearview mirror driving 90mph suddenly goes into your lane as you're going at 170mph, there's no way you won't crash. At that speed you're never safe on public roads no matter how good you are.

VV, Fairfax, USA

People who who argue that speed restrictions save lives show very few signs of being alive themselves. They are in fact deeply unpleasant and non-creative drones who seek to destroy flair or verve to fill time in there empty lives. The ban is logical as it removes a potential danger from the road. The jail sentence is malicious act of retribution, which helps nobody. People who actually feel happy about the sentence should be ashamed of themselves.

John Strobe Hepner, Moscow, Russia

Remember what happened to the West Mercia Police Officer who was caught doing 159 mph on a Motorway, and 130 mph on a single carriageway at night, speeds well beyond his range of headlight vision. He got away with it , with no more than a slap on the wrist!

Leela Joseet, Greater London, England

I agree with the punishment, if he had wanted to try the car out at speed, he should have gone to a race track. However I also agree with the comments made that to imprison this man when more serious offences go unpunished shows how unjust the UK is.

Philip Sale, Granada, Spain

Too bad he got caught, just last weekend I know of some1 who done 188mph in a Lambo.
A GBH conviction carry's less jail time these days?
Where's the justice?
Now come on? We are seeing more and more of this exotic beasts, well they not so exotic anymore, on our roads.... You really think these people will be able to stick to the 70mph limit? 2am Sunday morning when the general public,, the ACCIDENT CAUSING PUBLIC are off the raods, boy o boy are the roads FUN! :) :) at least u dont come up behind a old fuddyduddy doing 29mph in a 40 zone!

Kash, Windsor , Berkshire

To those people who have whinged about "too tough a sentence because the car is designed to drive that fast"...you're missing the point.

Its not the car thats the problem, its British roads! The A420, even though being a dual carriageway, runs through the countryside. Unlike American highways, where you get alot of wide open space each side of the tarmac and see any potential hazards a long way off, on our semi-rural dual carriageways, there are hedges, trees and generally plenty of obstacles preventing the driver from being able to accurately asses what lies ahead.

And the hazrads I am talking about are things like deer, foxes, pheasants and various fauna that like to play chicken on British roads on a regular basis!

Bottom line - if he'd hit a deer at 170, it would be carnage for wide radius. So yes - the CAR may well be safe going at those speeds, but if it hits a reasonably sized moving object...probable write off. Thats the danger and thats why he deserves the sentence.

J Pearce, Guildford, UK

As one whose daughter regularly, and carefully, drives this road on her way to work each day I would feel much happier if this individual had his driving licence revoked completely, and was removed from cars altogether. He is clearly so criminally reckless that he is unfit to hold a driving licence.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Shame the sentence wasn't longer! It's pathetic as it is, I mean people have been given *LESS* for actually killing innocent children.

He should be jailed for a year, banned from driving for life, be given a £10,000 fine and put in stocks every Sunday for 4 weeks and pelted with rotten fruit.

There is *no* excuse whatsoever for this utterly stupid behaviour and he knew exactly what he was going to do beforehand!

Adam, Witlshire,

A custodial sentence for this offence is ridiculous. I accept that he may have endangered others, but the fact remains that there was no victim of his crime. Yet his prison sentence is longer than that received by a man whose illegal dog killed a child.

The British justice system has lost all perspective on what society considers to be a real crime and thus devalues itself. This silly fool is simply being hung out to dry as an example.

Niels Pace, Paris, France

With respect to Mr Keith Park's comments, although a car might be "seriously safe" the risk with driving on the A420 or any road in England for that matter at a speed of 172mph has nothing at all to with the car being driven or the person driving it. Its about other people on the roads and what they might do. If another driver does something a bit erratic (not that ever happens right!) then at 172mph you could be in serious trouble and given the likely closing velocities of around 100mph any form of contact is going to spell disaster.

If anyone thinks they can drive at this speed on public roads then they are the worst driver on the road bar none. And they would be explicitly showing they don't know how to drive well and should be disqualified permanently. The roads in England need fewer drivers not more.

Paul Ferry, Birstol,

Nicole Richie was sentenced to five days for her DUI, but managed to sneak in and out of jail in just 82 minutes, and Timothy Brady gets 10 weeks in jail for speeding. What's wrong with this picture? Who wouldn't drive that fast in a £98,000, 3.6 liter Porsche 911 Turbo at least once if given an opportunity? He should have lost his license for 90 days, paid a fine of £$1,020, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

Mike, Norco, CA, USA

I think his defence team let him down.

Two mitigating factors were not raised at the hearing. Firstly he was not going flat out (he could have got almost another 30mph more), and secondly, Lord Voldermorte was chasing him.

Ben, Dorset,

Rob Brown, it may as well be murder. Giving out bans and saying "don't drive too fast!" doesn't ward people off, ok so he didn't kill anyone, but he could of and if he did it would of been manslaughter.

There's a reason we're not allowed to fire guns in public, I wonder why that is?

Adam, Manchester, UK

I don't condone what he did,but I think jail is completely innapropriate if he has been of good character up to now. He behaved recklessly, but didn't actually harm anyone. Compare his treatment wiht some of the punishments handed out for violent crimes. It just shows how powerful the anti-motorist lobby has become.

P.Alan, Albir, Spain

So many comments from people who do not seem to drive on the UK's conjested roads.
Our present 70mph limit is ludicrous and does not encourage sensible driving. A higher limit would be better.
A minimum speed limit in each motorway lane plus restriction of HGV's to the inner lane with ALL comercial vehicles banded from Lane 3 would improve the UK's already good record on Road Death levels.
However, I do not think such a small sentence inside is enough mark the idiotic behaviour of this person and discourage others.

M Sheridan, Oldham, UK

If you drive that fast, you cannot ignore that any accident with another vehicle will lead to death without any doubt, for yourself and for others. It is like using a gun in the croud, you simply accept the possibility to kill someone with your behaviour. Cars are not toys, but people seem to have a lot to learn yet!

gianfranco liotta, Catania, Italy

may as well lock up suspicious looking black people for intending to be burglars....same principle isn't it?....oh sorry, they already do that!

Mohd., Venezuela, S. America

My heart goes out to this poor bugger. Seems the only crime he really did was getting caught.......

Tim Taylor, ibiza spain,

Anyone found guilty of speeding or even parking violations, should have their lives forfeit and used for organ donations. It’s for the social good after all.

Elisha Moor

Elisha Moor, London, England

I am very happy that he was charged and convicted. He should serve at least a year in prison. I feel the sentence was too lenient. If he desires to to drive at top speeds he should look for a racetrack so he can endanger his own life and not the lives of others. The guy is a jerk. Traffic laws are necessary in all countries, especially densely populated countries like the U.K; even sparsely populated areas like Montana need traffic laws, because directly or indirectly everyone is affected in the long term.

Robert C Macgregor, Fayetteville, Ga

Agree with the majority - he was punished too severely. Yes it was reckless & irresponsible, but not worthy of jail time. I spend a fair bit of time on the motorways, and I see far worse behaviour, such as people pulling in front of other drivers without checking the other driver's speed, forcing sudden braking. To be honest, most drivers seem to have little idea of how to maintain good traffic flow and have little consideration for other road users.

The Nu-Labour idea of limiters for company cars is idiotic. A far better solution would be mandatory re-tests, say every 10 years.

Johnny, Birmingham,

I first heard about this on the car radio whilst driving at about One Hundred and Twenty miles an hour in Europe and thought what a lot of fuss about nothing (Yes I did manage to even listen to the radio along with all the other fast drivers). To arrive back in the UK to note not one but two police cars supporting a speed trap at seven on an empty bank holiday morning I did not get stopped but a poor chap in a van did. I expect he was a danger to everyone ON THE EMPTY ROAD. After all this is Britain where it’s more important to stop speeding than to deal with real crime such as child on child shootings etc., the do gooders should get a LIFE after all what real harm did this chap actually do (NOTHING) shame on the judge for supporting this twaddle; when common sense would have dictated a stern telling off and a fine.

Peter Webb, Benfleet, Essex UK

Just for comparison's sake - one of the reasons I live in Montana,USA is so that I can drive as fast as I want (many others feel the same - gentleman ranchers in the north (flat) part of the state are known to own Pantera's (in the 70's) but have now upgraded to Ferrari's and Porsches (their other car is a pickup) - they try to be safe and use radar detectors - the biggest danger might be colliding with a lost cow, but that's what brakes are for.

The breathtaking scenery can be distracting as well.

We all need to get up to Canada as soon as possible to get our Macintosh's toffee...

monty cawker, missoula, montana, usa

I don't condone that sort of speed on a public road. It's clearly dangerous, foolhardy and irresponsible.

That said, he didn't hurt anyone (perhaps more by luck than judgement - we can't know) but, more pertinently, were the driver a teenage hoodie type with a string of criminal convictions, running from the police in a stolen car, he would have received the same, or a lesser, more lenient sentence.

As ever, the law in this country hits the easy target and has nothing to do with justice and more to do with political correctness.

Mark, Birmingham, UK

I drive my Ferrair f360 at 290kmph in Germany as often as I like. I live in Sydney and fly to Europe and do it legally 4 times a year. Speed is not dangerous,
lack of training and going too fast in the wrong country can be. The only country where I was delayed because of an accident last week was in Switzerland where the speed limit is 100kmph - go
figure that.

Siggy, Sydney, Australia

I think the views shared by Alan of Warrington are far too smug and superior. Has he never made a mistake (maybe not of such severity) because he was caught up in the emotion of doing it?
I think the other two views are far more balanced (K. Park and Virginia of Brisbane). He shouldn't have been in the car at those speeds, but as Keith Park pointed out, the Porsche is more than capable of doing higher speeds and stopping safely from them.
Britain has turned from a place that prided itself on a car industry with interesting products to one that hates the car...in the meantime, I have left the country! I want to be able to drive, if I need to, and park without feeling criminal or paying some of the most outrageous levels of tax!

tim, Naples, Italy

Doubt if most people fully appreciate the difference between a shopping car and a performance car. When in UK I had a couple of Skyline GT-R one after the other (only get the v-spec), and it was the sort of car that you'd want to change down at 85mph. If a Nissan Micra's safe at 70mph, a GT-R has to be safe at 140mph.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Kanagawa

I Agree with the majority of people on the forum. Sending this guy to jail for motoring offence such as this is really stupid. No one was hurt no one was killed. We have a draconian system of justice, Prosecute the easy targets and leave the real villians to carry on commiting crime. Well done the cops..
How many of us rigidly stick to speed limits? ask yourselves what the average speed on a motorway is. Not the official speed limit. 80-100 MPH isnt unusual.
If we did have a better system of policing this might not be as serious as it is. How come is it the police always get let off driving offences anyway???
A ban and community service, coupled with the high insurance to drive again is big enough penalty. the guy was a prat for taking trhe car without consent.
10 weeks in jail? he will be out in a month probably. Total waste of public money and court time .

chris, Oxford,

I suppose it was the extra 9mph that made the difference between "Not Guilty" and a prison sentence -- Oh, no, I forgot, he isnt a policeman is he!

Mike Bibby, St Albans, England - not EU

You know, i bet we would never see a headline saying "Man cloked at 200mph arrested in his £300,000 Zonda "....

Conrad, London,

The point is that he did NOT wipe out a family or cause any accidents. Yes he drove stupidly and should be punished, but jail? A few years ban from driving and maybe some community service. But not jail for goddness sake. 1) We don't have much jail space left 2) Violent reoffenders who steal and injure get less time than this.

Saying he should be severly punished because of what could have happened is sheer idiocy. Punished yes, severly no.

Pete, Bristol, UK

I really can't believe that people are writing in to defend this guy! I suppose the self same people would have been at the front of the queue to write in had he wiped out a family out for a day out in their car. Most cars on the road these days can exceed 100mph. If, by MA from Derby's logic, we should just get out there and drive to the limits of our own cars then why not just put the national speed limit up to over 100mph since virtually every car on the road these days can do that. A sure way to bring even more carnage to roads.
He should have had a longer sentence and never be allowed near the wheel of a vehicle again.

Martin, belfast,

He should be made to visit a mortuary and look at “the worst” of road crash victims.

Alan, Warrington, Cheshire.

I'm probably one of the lucky few to have driven the latest Porsche Turbo and I can say it has acceleration like you wouldn't believe! But it is also a seriously safe car, stable at high speed with massive stopping power, on a straight piece of A road at 172 it wouldn't have been bothered. He was dumb to get caught, community service would suffice and the winner here was Porsche's order book.

Keith Park, Auckland, NZ

To MA Derby, dont you think driving a car at that speed is endangering the lives of innocent people and are a danger to the public. The whole thing that cars are manufactured to travel at that speed is stupid in itself. The world is an unjust place, some people get away with murder.

Virginia, Brisbane, Australia

It's good to see that there are times when roads in Britain are stll quiet enough to open up and enjoy the freedom of the open road - or was he going past people as though on a race track? - I do hope not. I would be interested to know what mpg he was getting at that speed as I am concerned at the potential effect on the environment from the emissions. It may require a new emissions tax on people driving over 150 mph.

David Cameron, Oxford, UK

a friend was driving his porsche from los angeles to phoenix on an interstate highway (speed limit 75mph but police seldom stop anyone going under 85). he was driving 145 mph when he went under an underpass, where a police cruiser was parked with an occupant inside. my friend passed them in such a blur he could barely identify the car. but rather than slow down and appear obviously guilty, he kept his foot on the pedal and prayed. the police cruiser never budged. either the guy was dozing, or something else unmentionable, or just didn't want the hassle of a high speed chase. btw, it is quite exciting driving at those speeds. i recently told a cop who stopped me for going 95 in a 65 mph zone, that there was no earthly reason not to speed on that beautiful sunday morning, with no traffic, a perfectly straight, well paved road. he missed me going 120 a minute or two before. i guess you have to be paul newman to have the dough to own a racing team of your own, and get that thrill.

robert furlong, prescott, AZ

what a waste of tax payers money, locking somone up for what could of happened when they let off violet people and thieves for stuff that did happen.

Prison is for people who pose a risk to the public and are a constant danger, not someone who is driving a car to the exact reasons it was built.

MA, Derby,

Nowadays I drive much less than I used to do but, I ALWYS see some driver disobeying the road Laws. Sofar, thak god; I haven,t seen anyone as reckless & stupid as this guy!
What I do NOT see are Police cars, patrols or officers so, as with most idiots who drive recklesly, dangerously & stupidly I'm sure that he feels he was UNLUCKY!!!! to be caught.
I also note that in all the reports & reviews re this case there has been NO mention of something I took to be a fact. Am I wrong in believig that speeding at 100mph and over is an AUTOMATIC disqualification? Fined, & licence confiscated for a period of.......?????
Perhaps there will not be a job driving for him for some years (as quoted) but shouldn't that be he will never be able to drive legally again??
I think so!!

MR. KEITH BRENNAN, Wakefied, west yorkshire

For taking the car without consent, effectively driving without insurance he should have the book thrown at him.

Government and media obsession with speed means that he will only be prosecuted for the speeding offence (dangerous driving).

I'm sure a burglar or someone convicted of GBH would get less time in prison.

172Mph is giving it some, but the criminalisation of motoring means he will receive a disproportionate sentence for the speeding, when taking a car without consent is a far more serious offence.

Simon Smith, London, England

Oh, I thought he was a policeman! Now of course, I know better. He was actually tried, convicted and jailed...

Jennifer Hynes, Plymouth, England

Of course he should be locked up, this wasn't a few MPH or even a few 10's of MPH above the limit! The consequences were there a crash would be massive and even with knowing this (if he didn't he shouldn't have licence in the first place) he still decided to put other road users at high risk.

Steve Williams, Berks,

His defence team should have used the reason that he was "exploring the cars performance" , it seems to work for other people who borrow their employers cars and drive it like they stole it .......... Oh but I forgot , he's not a member of the police force is he !

G.T.S, Newcastle,

Surely a three year ban and a retest and the exploitation by inusrance is enough, oh I forgot speeding is the same as murder in our sad country. Rob - London.

Rob Brown, London, UK

What nonsense! No wonder our prisons are so over-crowded. He was probably far safer than grandad driving his clapped-out old wreck at 70.

Surely community service would meet the casse here; a prison is just ridiculous.

Roger Tilbury, Worthing, England