Drug dealer who drove car into cyclists and assaulted man outside McDonald's is jailed

A drug dealer who drove his car into two cyclists in revenge after an argument has been jailed for 18 years.

Sterling Rose, 32, had got into a fight with the pair outside a shop in Ipswich Road in Colchester in August 2020.

After the pair cycled off, Rose got into his car and drove at them on a pavement, mounting the kerb.

He knocked one man off his bike before swerving back into the road and back onto the pavement to strike the second man.

The second victim suffered a broken spine and serious head injury.

Detectives established that Rose was also behind an attack on a man outside McDonald's in Tollgate in Stanway in December 2019.

During that incident, Rose assaulted a man and left him unconscious on the ground before kicking him three times.

Det Insp Tim Coyles said: “Rose has been given a sentence which matches the severity of the violence he has inflicted on others.

“I’ve got no doubt that in each incident, Rose could very easily have killed the victims simply as a result of the level of violence."

When police examined Rose’s phone there was clear evidence of drug dealing on it – largely in the Colchester area.

He was subsequently charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Rose, 32, of St Peter’s Street, in Colchester, was found guilty after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court last month.

On Tuesday 20 June he was sentenced to a total of 18 years in jail.

He will serve at least 11 years in custody and will be subject to an additional four-year licence period when he is released.

He was also disqualified from driving for 15 years.

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