Drink-driving Leeds drug dealer smashed into tree then said he would 'do life' for attacking cop

Clark Thomas-Barr’s vehicle had been reported to police as being driven by a potentially intoxicated motorist, when patrolling officers spotted it in the early hours of January 27.

Leeds Crown Court heard that when the officers tried to follow, the Hyundai Iload took off at speed with Thomas-Barr turning his headlights off. He then turned onto the country track and failed to negotiate a bend before hitting the tree.

The pursuing officers got out and smashed the windows as Thomas-Barr revved the engine as he tried and failed to reverse. The officers were eventually able to grab the keys and get him out.

He gave a false name, but his bank card in his pocket revealed his identity. He blew 52 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs. A small amount of cannabis was also found in his car.

The 31-year-old, of Edinburgh Road, Armley, then had to be taken to hospital after claiming he had swallowed a bag of heroin. While at Leeds General Infirmary he refused to take a blood and urine test, and became abusive towards accompanying officers, calling them homophobic names.

He threatened to “run” one of the officers off the road if he saw him again and was “willing to do life for it”.

He has 28 previous convictions for 56 offences. He was jailed for three years in June for dealing in Class A drugs, and questions were raised by Judge Robin Mairs this week why these latest matters were not dealt with at the same time.

Thomas-Barr admitted dangerous driving, driving over the limit, failing to provide a specimen, driving while banned, possession of cannabis and two counts of threatening behaviour.

Mitigating on his behalf, John Bottomley said the chase had only lasted just 23 seconds. He said Thomas-Barr had an eight-year-old son, had previously worked as a labourer and was keen to return to that work once he is released.

Judge Mairs handed him 12 months’ jail, and told him it was “effectively a four-year sentence”, telling him it should have been added to his three-year sentence in June.