Leeds drug dealer jailed after police chase ends in crash

A drug dealer who was found with a number of knives when he crashed a stolen car after a high-speed police chase on New Year's Eve has been jailed.

Ruel Craig, 26, sped off when police spotted his stolen Mercedes C220 on Armley Road, Leeds, on 31 December last year.

He hit speeds of 70mph in 40mph zones, ignoring give-way signs and narrowly avoiding collisions with other vehicles while cutting across multiple lanes of traffic.

After crashing into another car and a van he got out and ran off, while three other men escaped in the opposite direction.

He was wearing a stab vest when he was arrested by officers. A machete and two combat knives were found in the crashed car.

He had a balaclava and a pair of black gloves, along with crack cocaine and heroin worth £190, a small amount of cannabis and £885 in cash.

Craig, of Meanwood Valley Close in Leeds, was charged with a number of offences, including possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and dangerous driving.

He pleaded guilty to the drugs offences and was sentenced to 50 months behind bars. He received a consecutive four-month term for dangerous driving and a concurrent three-month sentence for possessing criminal property in relation to the seized cash.

Det Sgt Rob Kennerley, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “The offences Craig has been convicted of show him to be someone involved in the destructive trade in Class A drugs, which fuels crime and anti-social behaviour in our communities and does significant damage to the lives of individual users and their families.

“He was also prepared to put the safety of other members of the public at risk when he attempted to evade officers at the wheel of a stolen car."

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