AN illegal immigrant who lied to police in bid to escape justice and later crashed his car while three times the drink drive limit faces deportation.

Hardeep Singh was able to evade police and the immigration service after he gave a false name to officers when they pulled him over on the M5 north of Worcester.

The 33-year-old's lies to police and his failure to attend court meant he remained at large to commit further offences instead of returning to his native India, later crashing his car into a ditch while more than three times the drink drive limit.

Singh is an 'overstayer' who was supposed to return home in 2011 after arriving in the UK in 2009 on a student visa.

He appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday where he was jailed by Recorder Martin Jackson.

Singh of Wheatley Street, Wolverhampton, who appeared alongside a Punjabi interpreter, admitted perverting the course of justice, failing to surrender to bail, failing to provide a specimen of breath, drink driving, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

The court heard how he was stopped on the M5 between junctions three and four southbound for speeding after he overtook police in a Volkswagen Touran at 96.4mph on May 16 last year.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said: "The defendant gave a false name and a false date of birth. It was noted that his eyes were glazed and officers could smell alcohol."

Singh, who provided a positive breath test at the roadside, was taken back to the police station at Kidderminster where he failed to provide a specimen of breath on seven occasions.

He was bailed to appear before Kidderminster magistrates on June 2 last year but he failed to appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Sigh next came to the attention of police when he crashed a BMW into a ditch on July 16 this year.

Singh was was spoken to by a woman and her husband.

Mr Conry said: "He (Singh) tried to give her the keys to the car. She gave them back and he dropped them on the floor. When police arrived he said he wasn't driving, that he had had a drink about an hour earlier."

Again he gave a false name to police, saying he was called 'Rocky Singh'. A breath test revealed 110mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than three times the drink drive limit.

A live scan on the fingerprint machine revealed he was the same man who had given the false name to police the previous year.

Singh has no previous convictions in this country or in his native India.

Jason Aris, defending, said: "I concede there must be the imposition of an immediate custodial sentence. I appreciate there are particular aggravating features to this case because the defendant was caught on two occasions driving the vehicle without insurance and without a licence and, having failed to provide a specimen on the first occasion, was over the limit on the second occasion."

Mr Aris said the additional aggravating feature is that the July offence was committed on bail.

Mr Aris added: "In mitigation he's a man of hitherto good character. He plans to return to his home country sooner rather than later. He invites me to tell the court he is extremely remorseful for his wrongdoing.

"Once he commences this custodial sentence it is appreciated the Home Office will serve him with papers which mean he will be immediately deported."

Recorder Martin Jackson said: "The most serious offence is the matter of perverting the course of justice by giving a false name when you were arrested on May 16 last year.

"By giving the false name it meant not only were you not prosecuted properly for the offence of failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis, it also meant you were not properly picked up by the probation service for having breached the bail given to you in 2014 when you were found working illegally in this country, having originally come to the UK in 2009 when you were only given leave to stay in this country until 2011 on a student visa."

He said by giving the false name Singh had been able to stay in the country a further 14 months unlawfully and was able to work unlawfully and continue driving when he should have been disqualified which ultimately led to the accident this July.

Recorder Jackson said: "It's a matter of luck that nobody was hurt or worse in that accident."

He jailed Singh for 18 months and also imposed an extended driving ban which will comprise the time he spends in custody plus a further three years.

A victim surcharge will be calculated. No order was made for costs.