Drug-drive took BMW and crashed into pole leaving passenger with fractured spine

A man who got behind the wheel after drinking and taking drugs has been jailed after his two passengers were seriously injured when he crashed.

Thomas George McConnell took a BMW without the owner's permission after drinking and taking drugs.

He then drove it along King George V Road in Bovington, where he crashed into a telephone before hitting a tree.

His passengers - two men in their 20s - were both seriously injured.

One of the men fractured his spine and injured his bowel. The second was left with several breaks to his arm and toes as well as lacerations to his liver and to his mouth.

McConnell - who was also taken to hospital with a dislocated shoulder and numerous cuts and bruises - had taken the BMW 320d from a property in West Lulworth without the owner’s permission.

A blood test found he was over the legal drink-drive limit and he also had benzoylecgonine – a metabolite of cocaine – in his system.

McConnell admitted drink and drug-driving as well as two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and one charge of aggravated vehicle taking.

He was sentenced to 20 months in prison and disqualified from driving for five years at a hearing at Winchester Crown Court on February 18.

Police Constable Julie Wooliscroft, of Dorset Police’s traffic unit, said: “Thomas McConnell took the extremely reckless and dangerous decision to take a vehicle which did not belong to him and drive it when he was under the influence of drink and drugs.

“His actions left the two passengers in his vehicle with serious injuries that required significant medical treatment and serves as a further demonstration of the grave consequences of drink and drug driving.

“We are committed to keeping Dorset’s roads safe and will take action to ensure those who pose a risk to others by driving under the influence of drink and drugs are held to account and brought before the courts.”