Police stop man drug driving three times in three weeks

A man who was caught drug driving three times in three weeks by Pembrokeshire Roads Policing officers, has been disqualified from driving for three years.

Dyfed-Powys Police officers described 27 year old Anthony Joseph Thompson as having no regard for the safety of other road users, as he continued to break the law after being arrested.

On the evening of January 6, Thompson and his two passengers were stop checked while he was driving his Volkswagen Golf in Haverfordwest, with no rear lights illuminated.

After smelling cannabis coming from inside the car, officers drug swabbed Thompson, of Pencader, with the result proving positive for cannabis.

He was arrested on suspicion of drug driving, and a blood sample was taken. He was released under investigation pending the outcome of the blood analysis.

On the morning of January 18, Roads Policing Unit officers stopped Thompson near Saundersfoot as he was not wearing a seatbelt and had no glass in one of his wing mirrors.

While officers were speaking to him, a smell of cannabis was again emanating from inside his vehicle. The car was searched, and 3g of the drug was found in a small pot.

For the second time in under a fortnight Thompson undertook a roadside drug swab, again testing positive for cannabis. He was arrested on suspicion of drug driving, a blood sample was taken and he was released under investigation.

Already under investigation for the previous two offences, Thompson was stop checked for a third time on the evening of January 26 at Glandy Cross, again failing a roadside drug swab for cannabis.  Once again he was arrested, his blood samples were taken and he was released under investigation.

Analysis of the three blood samples showed him to be over the drug drive limit on each occasion.

Thompson was reported for summons, initially appearing at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday July 22.  He was disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay a total of £304 in fines and costs.

In relation to the second and third offences, he then appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Friday August 14, when his disqualification period was extended until August 2023 and he was ordered to pay a further £365.

PC Richard Mycroft, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: “Anthony Thompson's actions by continually driving with cannabis in his system, showed a blatant disregard for the safety of both himself and other road users.”