Fugitive haunted by war-torn Ivory Coast homeland fled Leeds police over his fear of uniforms

Oumar Traore, originally from Ivory Coast, said he has been terrified of people in uniforms having been kidnapped by his home country’s Army when he was boy, separated from his mother and was forced to witness people being executed.

The 31-year-old chef was approached by police after they were called to a disturbance in Burmantofts in he early hours of January 13. He was escorted from the premises and appeared to leave the area, Leeds Crown Court was told.

But he returned soon after and the police told him he was under arrest. He then struggled as they attempted to get him in handcuffs. They tried to PAVA spray him but he ran off, leaving one of the officers suffering from the effects of the incapacitant.

They tied to chase him but he was able to get away. Traore, of Coldcotes Avenue in Harehills, eventually handed himself into the police in Stainbeck nearly four months later.

He admitted a charge of escaping lawful custody. The court was told he has two previous convictions. Mitigating, John Bottomley said Traore had come to the UK in 2012 and had lived as an asylum seeker since, working as a chef in a chocolate factory.

He said the memories of his civil war-torn homeland badly affected him and was “scared of uniforms”.

Judge Neil Clark gave him four months’ jail, suspended for 12 months, and 40 hours unpaid work.