A 28-YEAR-old man has been sentenced after being found guilty of drug and driving offences in Witney.

Sam Woolford, of Cotswold Dene, Standlake, pleaded guilty to one count of cannabis at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on in October last year.

However, on Monday (27) last week, Woolford was found guilty of two counts of driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit, namely cocaine and cannabis, in a further hearing at the same court.

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He was subsequently fined a total of £393 and ordered to pay costs of £620. He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 12 months.

The incident happened on December 5 2020 when Woolford was driving a Peugeot 106 down Burford Road in Witney and crashed into a lamppost.

Woolford ran from the vehicle but following a search of the area, he was arrested and failed a roadside drug test. He was later found to have been more than 10 times over the drug limit.

Investigating officer PC Charlie Hayes, based at Witney police station, said: “Woolford drove his vehicle while way above the legal limit for drugs and caused massive damage to his car

“It is only good fortune that nobody was seriously injured, and I am pleased that he has been sentenced accordingly.

“It is completely unacceptable to drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs, and Woolford can consider himself fortunate not to have been seriously injured, or injured other members of the public.

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“Thames Valley Police will never tolerate such behaviour. As a result of his decisions, he has now been sentenced and will serve a period of disqualification from driving.”

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This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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