Dramatic police car pursue footage released after drug dealer jailed, West Country – ITV News
Dramatic police car pursue footage released after drug dealer jailed
A drug dealer who attempted to escape police in a car pursue twice has been jailed for five years for drug and driving offences.
30-year-old Leroy Harding, of Moorfields Road, Bath, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Monday. He pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Harding was arrested after a dramatic car pursue involving a number of police vehicles, he was later involved in another car pursue while he was on bail.
Harding was arrested after a dramatic car pursue involving a number of police vehicles, he was later involved in another car pursue while he was on bail.
Police dash-cam footage shows him driving riskily on both occasions, on the very first the pursue completes with him crashing into an oncoming police car.
Harding was dreamed by police for a serious offence when he was spotted by officers driving in Dunch Lane, Melksham in September last year.
Officers followed his Renault Clio but when Harding spotted the police car he made a U-turn and attempted to speed away, driving unsafely along a narrow road.
As he approached the humpback bridge his car became airborne over a blind hump before colliding with a police car travelling towards him.
After the crash he attempted to escape by running away but was tasered and detained by PC Shanklin and DC Ian Tilley.
A search was carried out and Harding was found in possession of class A drugs with a street value of £2080, mobile phones and several hundreds of pounds in cash.
After being released on bail, officers spotted Harding behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Golf in February. He was on the M4 travelling from Bristol towards Chippenham.
Two police vehicles attempted to stop the Golf, which slowed down at very first but then Harding drove off at speed. For a 2nd time, Harding was chased by police as he drove at over 100mph along the A350 and through two crimson lights.
A stinger was deployed on the A350 which brought the vehicle to a stop against the central reservation. Once again, Harding fled the scene on foot, climbing a nearby security fence surrounding a compound.
When officers caught him, he was found in possession of £1,400 cash and a quantity of cannabis.
PC Shanklin, of the Dedicated Crime Team, said:“On both occasions, Harding failed to stop for officers and drove in a dangerous manner putting other road users, pedestrians and officers who were pursuing him in a good deal of danger. On the very first incident Harding was about to inject a built-up residential area with a school and play park.
“Having crashed with the police car that I was driving, Harding continued to drive with a flagrant disregard for the law. It was enormously fortunate that on both occasions nobody was injured as a result of his mindless and selfish deeds.
“Harding has now been sentenced to five years imprisonment and once he is released, he will be banned from driving for four years.”