Police to release video footage of drink drivers as new crackdown begins

As part of Operation Dragonfly - the forces’ year-round strategy to deal with drink and drug-drivers - road policing unit officers will be on dedicated patrols looking for offenders across the counties.

In previous campaigns, Sussex and Surrey Police have named all those charged with drink or drug-driving offences that were committed during the month-long crackdown.

There were 143 people arrested in Sussex and 91 in Surrey during last summer’s June campaign.

In addition, this year the forces will be releasing footage of convicted offenders that shows the state they were in when they got behind the wheel - and how important it is that they are banned from the roads before they hurt anyone.

The campaign is being run jointly by Sussex Police and Surrey Police alongside Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, Drive Smart in Surrey and the independent charity Crimestoppers.

Chief Inspector Phil Nicholas said: “Officers will be out looking for anyone who has got behind the wheel after drinking or taking drugs.

“We will not tolerate drink or drug-driving and would urge anyone who thinks they know someone who is driving after taking drugs to contact us urgently so that we can act.”

Teams will respond to tip-offs from members of the public who see someone they know has been drinking getting into a car to drive.

Stop checks will also be set up at locations across Sussex and Surrey, in particular at locations where there is intelligence that there has been a history of drink or drug-driving.

Officers will also tweet about people stopped on suspicion of drink or drug-driving offences throughout the month, giving brief details such as when and where the motorists were pulled over.

In a survey by Brake and Direct Line, three per cent of UK motorists - the equivalent of a million drivers across the country - admitted driving while on illegal drugs in the previous 12 months.

In the same survey 5.9 per cent of motorists admitted to getting behind the wheel when they thought they could be over the drink-drive limit - the equivalent of a further two million drink-drivers on the roads.

To watch footage of convicted drug-driver Neil El-Komboz as he goes from being seen driving while on drugs to being arrested and then placed in a cell, simply click play on the video in this story.

El-Komboz, 30, of Ditchling Rise, Brighton, pleaded guilty to drug-driving when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 5 May.

He was banned from driving for 16 months, fined £110 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrsBKJRuo6I&feature=youtu.be