Undercover cop car "rammed"
AN unmarked police car was rammed after it tried to stop a vehicle at a known drug-dealing site, a court heard.
Kamran Khan, 18, then went on to run five red traffic lights in Wakefield City Centre before fleeing on foot following a collision with another motorist on Saturday morning.
Wakefield magistrates heard how the chase was sparked after police in an unmarked car on Greenwood Road, Eastmoor, saw a young woman leaning into Khan's driver's side window at 10.10am.
Prosecutor Richard Ogden said: "It seems that area is known for drug dealing. The officers took the suspicious nature of the circumstances to warrant an enquiry."
Police tried to pull in front of the Renault Megane in a bid to speak to the driver. But Khan rammed the police car causing damage to the driver's side wheel arch.
Khan drove towards Aberford Road and was pursued by a marked police car.
Mr Ogden said Khan drove at excessive speed through the city's streets, and went through five red lights and onto the wrong side of the road around a traffic island.
The court heard he shot a light on Wood Street just 20 seconds after a woman and child had passed.
Khan also went onto Lawefield Lane and Denby Dale Road. He then collided with a another vehicle driven by a member of the public.
He got out and ran but was caught after a short chase on Thornes Lane. Khan tested positive for heroin on arrest.
Khan, of Balfour Street, East Bowling, Bradford, admitted dangerous driving.
Raj Kumar, mitigating, said Khan had come to Wakefield to visit friends but panicked after an unknown car tried to block him.
He tried to veer away from the vehicle but ended up hitting it, causing damage to the paint work.
Mr Kumar added: "There's no serious damage to the vehicle at all.
"The question of ramming really doesn't come into it. Had there been ramming there would have been damage to both cars, not just one."
He added: "Had he realised it was a police vehicle that was trying to block him off he would have stayed.
"He hadn't done anything wrong. He was just waiting there."
Later when he was chased by a marked police car, he fled thinking he was in trouble because there had been an accident, said the solicitor.
He said it was a single incident with minor damage, and no injury was caused to anybody.
Mr Kumar asked magistrates to give his client credit for pleading guilty at the first hearing.
Magistrate Barbara Moorhouse told Khan: "We do not feel our powers are adequate to deal with this matter. We are going to send you to Crown Court for sentence."
Khan was bailed.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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