A prolific driving offender has been handed a suspended prison sentence and driving ban for an array of offences including driving while disqualified and assaulting a police officer. 

Owen Hughes, 24, and of Buttermarket in Poundbury, is one of the latest of a number of motorists targeted by Dorset Police No Excuse's Operation Dragoon, which identifies high risk drivers in the county. 

He became a Dragoon target in February when he came to the attention of officers for driving without a licence.

Since then, Hughes has been convicted of a large number of offences including three offences of driving with no licence, two offences of driving while disqualified and five offences of driving without insurance as well as failing to appear at court, taking a vehicle without consent, assaulting a police officer and possession of cannabis.  

He last appeared at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 15.

He has appeared in court on five occasions and been sentenced to a total 12 week prison suspended for 12 months, disqualified from driving for a total of two years, accumulated 12 penalty points on his licence and ordered to pay a total of £1,635 in fines and court costs.

A second Dragoon target is 22-year-old Jordan Keeble, of Cammel Road in West Parley, who has been disqualified from driving for two years, handed a four-week curfew between 9pm and 7am, handed a six-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay a fine and court costs totalling £3,552 and a total of 24 penalty points were placed on his licence.

Police Sergeant Mark Farrow, of the No Excuse team, said: “Owen Hughes and Jordan Keeble have continued to drive throughout the Op Dragoon process and pose a risk to other road users. Despite the best efforts of officers, they simply will not change their driving behaviour.

“Not only are they putting their life in danger but the lives of others who chose to get in the car with them and the general public. Their driving could have fatal consequences and we will continue to try and engage with them in an attempt to stop their offending. I hope that actively publicising their offending will act as a future deterrent to them and others.

“Keeble has been visited on several occasions and we have tried to engage with him both at home and work but he simply will not stop. We even seized his Mercedes car. He is looking at a custodial sentence if he is caught driving again. 

“We act on the intelligence from the public to help us track and convict offenders. If you know of anyone committing a driving offence, please contact police urgently so we can deal with them robustly.

"Call 999 if a crime is in progress, alternatively contact Dorset Police by visiting www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111." 

Operation Dragoon is Dorset Police’s direct response to identifying and dealing with risk drivers; including those driving under the influence of drink or drugs or driving illegally or inappropriately and who pose a serious risk to themselves as well as putting innocent drivers’ lives at risk on our roads 

Beginning in September 2016, Op Dragoon identified 525 individuals as presenting a risk on Dorset’s roads in its first 12 months.

97 of these higher risk offenders have been stopped, 95 vehicles have been seized and 65 individuals have been arrested.  

The No Excuse team, supported by colleagues, will continue their drive to decrease the number killed or seriously injured on our roads and respond to community concerns.