Leeds drug dealer who attempted to escape from police in stolen car jailed

Ruel Craig has been jailed after he was found with crack cocaine, heroin, two combat knives and a machete while wearing a stab vest when stopped by officers last year. 

Just before 1pm on December 31 last year, officers in a marked police car spotted a Mercedes C22 on Armley Road in Leeds that had been reported stolen. The stolen vehicle pulled out of a slow-moving queue and sped away with police officers in pursuit.

Driven dangerously, the Mercedes hit speed limits of 70 mph in 40 mph zones and narrowly avoided collisions with other vehicles while cutting across multiple lanes in traffic, before eventually crashing into another car and a van at the junction of Park Lane and the A58 and Inner Ring Road.

Craig was then seen getting out of the driver’s door along with three other males coming out of the passenger side as they ran off in different directions. 

He was chased by an officer onto an elevated footbridge before he jumped off onto a grass bank circa 12ft below trying to escape. He was later intercepted by the police as he left a vehicle tunnel against the flow of traffic heading towards Wellington Street.

When searched he was found to be wearing a black stab vest along with a balaclava and black gloves. He was also found in possession of individual wraps of crack cocaine and heroin worth £190, a small amount of cannabis as well as £885 in cash.

A machete and two combat knives were found in the front passenger side footwell when searching the stolen Mercedes. Footage from the pursuing police car’s camera also appeared to show one of the passengers carrying a further machete when they ran off from the crash scene.

When tested for drugs while in police custody, Craig’s results were negative for both heroin and cocaine, indicating he was not a regular user of the drugs.

After an investigation by Leeds District Crime Team, he was charged with multiple offences, including the possession of crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply, and dangerous driving.

At a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Monday (June 26), the 26-year-old, of Meanwood Valley Close in Leeds, pleaded guilty to the drugs matters and was sentenced to 50 months imprisonment. He also received a consecutive four-month term after admitting dangerous driving, and a concurrent three-month sentence for possessing criminal property in relation to the seized cash for a total of four and a half years in prison.

Detective Sergeant Rob Kennerley from the Leeds District Crime Team 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.

“We hope the significant prison sentence he has received will provide some reassurance to the community and send a clear message to others who think they can flout the law in this way without having to face the consequences.”