Judge says presence of second drug pushed case over custody threshold

A NORTH Pembrokeshire motorist has narrowly avoided an immediate prison sentence after he was caught driving at excessive speeds through Haverfordwest town centre with cannabis, cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system.

George Cornell, aged twenty-seven and of Golwg y Llan, Eglwyswrw, was stopped by officers shortly after 2:30pm on June 9 as he drove his Peugeot 207 past Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.

“He was travelling in excess of the speed limit,” Crown prosecutor Sian Vaughan told the court.

Subsequent blood tests showed Cornell had 4.6 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system, together with traces of cocaine and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine.

District Judge Mark Layton said the presence of a second drug meant the offence “crossed the custody threshold”.

Cornell pleaded guilty. Representing him, solicitor Tom Lloyd said his client had recently suffered two broken vertebrae, forcing him to abandon his work as a full-time carer.

“He’s gone from someone who worked in the caring industry to someone who now needs care himself,” he said. “He is remorseful and terrified of the prospect of prison.”

Cornell was sentenced to eight weeks’ custody, suspended for twelve months. He was disqualified from driving for thirty months and ordered to pay a £154 surcharge and £85 in court costs.

Ex-soldier admitted cannabis and cocaine use after being stopped in Haverfordwest

AN ARMY veteran has admitted driving through Haverfordwest town centre with three illegal drugs in his system.

Police stopped George McWilliams, 27, as he drove his Renault Clio along Avallenau Drive on August 9, despite no evidence of poor driving. Blood tests later showed he had 3 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, 65 mcg of cocaine, and 671 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limits are 2, 10, and 50 respectively.

This week McWilliams, of Keeston House, Keeston, Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to all three drug-driving charges when he appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.

Probation officer Julie Norman told District Judge Mark Layton that McWilliams began smoking cannabis after leaving the Army in 2021.

“It’s not an issue for him,” she said. “He very occasionally uses cocaine, but hasn’t taken any since this offence.”

McWilliams was banned from driving for 38 months. He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and must pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.

Solicitor says break-up and family argument led to “bad time”

A TRAINEE Pembrokeshire accountant has been banned from the roads after admitting driving his Volkswagen Polo while over the drink-drive limit.

Ryan Phillips, aged 22, was stopped just after midnight on November 22 as he travelled along the B4314 between Robeston Wathen and Coxlake Bridge. A roadside breath test showed 45mcg of alcohol in his system; the legal limit is 35.

Phillips, of Lynmouth, Wooden, Saundersfoot, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week. He was represented by solicitor Samuel Jenkins, who told the court his client had been experiencing “a bad time” at the point of the offence.

“Shortly before the incident he had separated from his long-term partner of several years, which impacted him quite badly,” he said.

“That night he’d had an argument with his parents and decided to leave home and sleep in his car. He’d had two glasses of rum and didn’t believe he was over the limit.”

Magistrates disqualified Phillips from driving for twelve months. He was also fined £220 and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and an £88 surcharge.