Desperate drug dealer ran down police officer to escape Wakefield city centre, court is told

Asim Khan, 24, was behind the wheel of a VW Passat which tried to ram police cars after being boxed in, trapping the constable and breaking his leg, Leeds Crown Court was told.

The incident happened at around 11.40am on Monday, March 8 on George Street when the car was spotted on CCTV and the police were alerted.

Prosecutor Richard Holland told Leeds Crown Court that police had been carrying out an operation at the time to clampdown on dealing in Wakefield city centre following complaints from residents.

The Passat was seen on the CCTV pulling up next to two known drug users with one of them getting into the back of the vehicle.

The three unmarked police cars were on the scene within two minutes and parked around the Passat to stop it escaping.

Despite Khan initially lifting his hands to apparently surrender, he then reversed at speed, hitting the officer and trapping him between the Passat and the police car.

As he tried to then go forward, he was Tasered by another officer and crashed into railings.

The officer was taken to hospital but released later that day, having suffered a fracture. He did not require surgery but was off work for around six weeks.

More than 79 bags of drugs were found in the Passat, 53 containing crack cocaine and 26 of heroin, along with a £340 in cash in bag belonging to Khan.

He was arrested and gave a prepared statement during interview, claiming he did not know it was the police. This was despite them being in uniform and the car parked in front of the Passat having blue flashing lights.

Khan, who has no previous convictions, denied a charge of causing injury through dangerous driving and dealing Class A drugs. However, he was found guilty on all counts by a jury after a trial.

He did admit charges of having no licence, insurance of MOT.

His passenger, 20-year-old Jamie Lee Fullalove, admitted a charge of dealing the drugs.

He has a previous conviction for dealing in Class A drugs, for which he received a suspended sentence.

Mitigating for Fullalove, Robin Frieze said that after being arrested on that previous occasion, he had around £800 of drugs confiscated from him, for which he was told by his drug dealer he would have to pay for.

As a result, he returned to drug dealing to try and pay off the debt.

Mr Frieze said: "It caused him problems but he knows that the responsibility was his and the decisions he made were seriously wrong ones."

He said Fullalove's mother has since had to move house because of the constant threats, and he was forced to leave the family home.

Both defendants are from the Bradford area.

For Khan, Paul Addison said that it was "not obvious" that the police officer was immediately behind his vehicle when he reversed.

He said: "He wishes to apologise to the police officer for the injury and distress. If possible he would like to say his apologies face to face. If that's not possible, he intends to write a letter.

"He studied for a degree, so he is educated, he comes from a respectable family and his mother is a teacher. It's something of a mystery as to why he became involved in these matters.

"He has damaged his own reputation and that of his family."

He said that the death of his grandfather had affected him, and during his time spent on remand, he had seen "first hand" the effects of Class A drugs after helping a fellow prisoner who is addicted.

The judge, the Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl QC, said: "You both travelled from Bradford to Wakefield to deal drugs.

"You (Khan) knew perfectly well they were police officers because of the uniforms and blue lights.

"You deliberately reversed into the police car."

He jailed Khan for four-and-a-half years and gave him a four-year driving ban.

Fullalove was given a total of four years and one month.