Two-year ban for 117mph drug-driver

Caught near Hickstead

58mph in a 30mph.

80mph in a 40mph.

83mph in a 50mph.

117mph in a 70mph.

These are some of the ridiculous speeds reached by a drug-driver following a car meet in West Sussex.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit responded to Hickstead Service Station in the early hours of 13 December last year.

It followed multiple reports from members of the public concerned by the manner of driving displayed by approximately 100 modified vehicles.

Police attended initially to engage with the enthusiasts, who immediately became hostile towards them.

As a small number of cars exited the services, officers followed and monitored them reaching speeds of up to 117mph on the A23 southbound towards Pyecombe.

A white Volkswagen Golf driven by Ryan Sheriff was pursued onto Jane Murray Way, Burgess Hill, where it narrowly avoided colliding with a milk float at a roundabout.

Police indicated for the vehicle to pull over and Sheriff was detained.

He failed a roadside DrugWipe test, and was therefore arrested and charged with dangerous driving, possession of cannabis and drug-driving. Specifically, he had 2.3 micrograms of cannabis per litre of blood in his system. The legal limit is 2 micrograms.

The 22-year-old, of Forge Wood, Crawley, pleaded guilty to all offences and was sentenced at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Friday 13 March.

He was jailed for 24 weeks – suspended for 12 months – disqualified from driving for 24 months and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £154 victim surcharge, and must take an extended retest should he wish to drive again.

Inspector Matt Wightwick, head of the Roads Policing Unit for Sussex, said: “We have no issue with car enthusiasts meeting to share their passion for their vehicles provided that they do so without demonstrating anti-social or driving behaviours that show a blatant disregard for the safety of themselves and everyone else on our roads.

“Speeding, drink or drug-driving, distracted driving, failing to wear a seatbelt and careless or dangerous driving are the five most common causes of fatal and serious injury collisions in the UK.

“The fact that Sheriff has ticked three of these five boxes demonstrates his utter ignorance to legislation and road safety, and he must now take an extended re-test should he wish to drive once his two-year ban is up.”