Swindon man given interim driving ban

Its after the driver refused to give a blood sample to police

Author: Phoebe GreggorPublished 6th Dec 2021

A drug driver who refused to provide a blood sample for analysis has been handed an interim driving ban while awaiting sentencing.

At around 8.30am on 10 February, a police officer on patrol in Swindon stopped a silver Volkswagen Golf on Fleming Way.

When officers approached the car, they could smell cannabis and noticed that the driver Dominic Heggie appeared nervous and his speech was slurred.

A roadside drugs wipe tested positive for cannabis and Heggie was arrested.

However, once in custody he failed to provide a sample of blood for further drugs analysis.

Heggie, 28, of Farnsby Street, Swindon, appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court today (06/12) and pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of blood.

He was released on unconditional bail until sentencing in the new year.

However, an interim driving disqualification has been granted.

PC Luke Hobbs, from Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Team, said: “We are currently running our annual Christmas drink and drug driving campaign, and we are doing everything we can to highlight the dangers that these sort of motorists pose on our roads.

“Driving under the influence is one of the fatal four, meaning it is one of the four most common causes of serious or fatal road traffic collisions.

“Anything that affects your ability to concentrate on the road and other road users, impacts your attention or reduces your reaction time, means you are not driving safely. You could not only kill yourself but you could kill other people.”

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