Teenage drug dealer rammed police car during high speed chase in Leeds

Ishmaiah Woodburn was aged just 17 when he was caught with cocaine, ketamine and cannabis worth £620 and £230 cash after a police chase in Leeds on May 26 2017, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Woodburn, of Bedford Close, Cookridge, was arrested before being released on police bail or under investigation.

Woodburn was at the wheel of a BMW one series which police saw performing an illegal U turn on Duncan Street in Leeds city centre, just after 12.30am on October 22 2017.

He failed to stop for police and sped along Newmarket Street and into Call Lane, which was busy with people walking to and from bars and clubs.

Anthony Moore, prosecuting, said Woodburn went through a red lights on New York Street and Harper Street.

He also went through a red light on a pelican crossing outside Leeds Bus Station before going through red lights on St Peter's Street.

Woodburn headed to Chapeltown and drove towards oncoming traffic before ramming a police car on Louis Street.

He continued on Louis Street to the junction with Chapeltown Road and crashed into a Toyota Yaris.

Mr Moore said the airbag in the Yaris was activated and extensive damage was caused to that car.

The woman driving the Yaris was left shocked but uninjured.

As Moore ran off he dropped £590 in bank notes before he was caught by police.

Police found a further £220 in his jacket and ketamine worth £340, cocaine worth £20 and £60 worth of ecstasy in the crashed BMW.

Mr Moore said the police chase on May 26 2017 started when Woodburn, who was driving a Vauxhall Corsa, failed to stop for police on Cliff Road in Leeds.

He sped off and went through several red lights before abandoning the Corsa and attempting to run off.

He was caught and cocaine, ketamine and cannabis worth £620 and £230 cash were found in the car.

Woodburn, now aged 20, admitted possessing cocaine and ketamine with intent to supply and possessing cannabis on May 26 2017.

He also admitted possessing ketamine with intent to supply and possessing cocaine and ecstasy on October 22 2017.

A probation officer said Woodburn had been threatened by drug dealers and had offered to transport drugs to pay off his own drug debts.

The court was told Woodburn no longer uses drugs and has turned his life around.

Glenn Parsons, mitigating, said: "None of the money that was received was going to be his. It was going to be passed on. He was under some amount of pressure."

Jailing Woodburn for three-and-a-half years, Judge Andrew Stubbs QC told him: "You rammed a police car to get it out of your way.

"You were driving on the opposite side of the road, through junctions at excessive speed and you hit another vehicle."

Woodburn was banned from driving for four-years-and-nine-months.