Doncaster drug dealer who set 'attack trained' dogs on police officers is jailed

A 24 year old drug dealer from Doncaster whose dogs attacked police officers as they tried to arrest him has been jailed for guns and drug offences.

Two officers were called to West End Lane in May last year after reports of a disturbance.

They were confronted by Leon James who threatened to set his dogs on them before fleeing.

An officer chased after him at which point one of James' two Belgian Malinois dogs then bit the officer's leg causing him serious injuries that required hospital treatment.

James later admitted in interview that he had "attack trained" the larger of the two dogs.

The other officer then deployed his taser to try to stop the dog but James then began to throw bricks at them.

More officers arrived at the house and arrested James. He was charged with assaulting an emergency worker and having a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday 2 August, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for these offences after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.

This jail term will run concurrently to James’ six-year sentence for drugs and firearm offences, which he also received in court this week.

James' DNA had been recovered from a shot gun found in a car that had been reported stolen in 2021.

In August 2022, James was once more arrested after being found in possession of a quantity of drugs, cash and two mobile phones.

When his property was searched, officers recovered a large amount of cannabis, more cash, weighing scales and a box of clear bags.

James, formerly of West End Lane, Doncaster, also pleaded guilty to possession of a shortened shotgun, possession with intent to supply Class A drugs (heroin)and Class B drugs (cannabis).

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