A man has been fined and banned after being caught drug-driving and proceeding to assault a police officer.

Oliver Toby Snow, whose address was given as Grosvenor Road, Shaftesbury, appeared before Weymouth Magistrates' Court on Thursday, October 13 for sentencing.

Snow, 42, had pleaded guilty to three charges - failing to stop a mechanically propelled vehicle when required by constable / traffic warden, assault by beating of an emergency worker, and being in possession of a Class A drug (cocaine).

At a previous court hearing he pleaded not guilty to two further charges - both of driving a motor vehicle with a controlled drug above the specified limit. He was convicted of both these offences.

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All charges relate to an incident on February 23, 2020 when Snow was caught driving a Vauxhall on Pound Lane, Shaftesbury with cocaine and benzoylecgonine found in his blood.

He assaulted PC Burge, an offence the court said was "aggravated by being committed against an emergency worker acting in the exercise of functions."

Snow was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, pay £80 in compensation, a £90 surcharge to fund victim services, and £620 in costs. He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving license for a period of three years.

Bournemouth Echo:

No separate penalty was issued for being in possession of cocaine - the drugs are to be forfeited under section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and destroyed by Police.

The defendant's guilty pleas were taken into account when imposing sentence.