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A man from Caerphilly has been banned from the road because he was caught drug-driving after a rave in Sussex.

Thomas Elsworth, 28, of Porset Row, Caerphilly, had taken cocaine before he was stopped by police as he left the “large-scale unlicensed music event” in Steyning, West Sussex.

He was among about 2,000 people who descended on the quiet Sussex village of Steyning one weekend at the end of June last year. Under Covid rules at the time, gatherings were restricted to 30 people.

The noise could be heard for miles around and prompted a flood of complaints to police who turned up and were met with “significant hostility”.

Elsworth had the equivalent of 800 micrograms of benzoylecgonine per litre of his blood – 16 times the legal limit of 50 micrograms.

Benzoylecgonine is a substance made by the liver after taking cocaine.

He pleaded guilty to drug-driving at Crawley Magistrates’ Court, in West Sussex, on Monday, December 6, Sussex Police said.

Elsworth was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a £400 fine, £85 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

Another man, Steven Evans, 33, of Bettws, Newport, was charged with driving with 548 micrograms of benzoylecgonine per litre of blood.

At Worthing Magistrates’ Court, in West Sussex, on Tuesday, January 11, he was banned from driving for 36 months and ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

They were among more than 30 people to have been convicted of drink or drug-driving or related offences after the rave last June.

In a statement Sussex Police said: “Police made around 90 arrests after responding to the scene and intercepting motorists in Bostal Road and the surrounding areas overnight on 27 and 28 June.

“Of these, 31 have so far been convicted in court, and a number of others are awaiting dates with magistrates as the investigation continues.”

The investigation – known as Operation Entity – continues.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Elsworth had 16 times the legal alcohol limit of 50 micrograms in his blood. Elsworth was only charged with drug driving and not drink driving. Caerphilly Observer apologises for this inaccuracy.