A drug driver who had drugs and almost £35,000 seized following a road traffic collision near Bridport has been jailed for four years.
Laurie Pibworth, 28 and of Middle Street in Bridport, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 26 January 2018 after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and ketamine, possession of cocaine, ketamine and cannabis, driving whilst unfit through drugs and money laundering.
He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months – a ban that will come into effect when he is released from prison.
At around 1.48am on Sunday 1 April 2017, Police Sergeant Tony Skeldon was driving along the A35 toward Bridport when he came across a dark-coloured Mercedes that had collided with the central reservation.
Pibworth, who was the sole occupant, got out of the driver’s side and attempted to make off, before he was apprehended by Sergeant Skeldon.
While at Weymouth custody, Pibworth was searched and two wraps of cocaine were located in his right-hand trouser pocket. He also had a large amount of white powder around his nose and mouth.
A blood test later revealed Pibworth had ketamine in his system, with a sample showing the presence of the drug at more than 80 micrograms per litre of blood. The legal limit is 20 micrograms per litre of blood.
A search of the Mercedes was carried out and £28,980 in cash inside a Tupperware box and a mobile phone were seized. A search was later carried out at Pibworth’s home address and three bags containing cocaine, cannabis resin, £230 cash, and a Tupperware pot containing £5,400 in cash were found.
Police Sergeant Tony Skeldon, of Dorchester police, said: “Laurie Pibworth put other road users at risk by driving while under the influence of drugs and also admitted being involved in the supply of drugs.
“I hope the sentence imposed by the court demonstrates that offending of this nature will not be tolerated.
“We are committed to tackling the supply of drugs and drug-related activity in our communities.
“I would urge any members of the public with information about such activity to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101.”
