Jail for Leeds man who fled police in city centre car chase with £17,000 worth of drugs and weapons in his car

Maneeb Mumtaz said he started taking cannabis for his anxiety but it spiralled out of control and ended up with him taking cocaine and getting into debt with his dealer.

As a result, the 31-year-old of Westcombe Avenue, Moor Allerton found himself at Leeds Crown Court yesterday where he was sentenced for 11 counts which related to possession and supply of drugs and offensive weapons as well as dangerous driving.

The court heard that on January 26 this year a police patrol spotted Seat Leon being driven at speed along the A64 York Road towards Leeds. They followed it and saw the car speed up to 80mph, jump red lights and one while a pedestrian was crossing.

Mumtaz eventually abandoned the car, the keys and two mobile phones at Clipston Street near Meanwood but was caught and arrested.

Louise Gallagher, prosecuting, added that a search of the car found 228 bags of cocaine with a street value of £10,120; 120 bags of MDMA (ecstasy) and 800 MDMA tablets worth £5,180; ten bags of amphetamine worth £65 and five bags of ketamine worth £1880.

They were hidden in bags and containers, drinks and deodrant cans. Police also found weighing scales, a baseball bat, a knuckle duster, a lock-knife and an axe in the vehicle. Mumtaz had £995 in cash on him and £10,000 was found at the home he shares with his wife and parents.

Acting for Mumtaz, Michael Collins, defending said: "He has damaged his good character, his employment prospects for the future. He lives with daily regret about prospect of being incarcerated while his first child is born, he lives in the knowledge that he has let his wife, parents and unborn child down because he was stupid enough not to resist the pressure being placed on him by more sophisticated criminals."

After an initial appearance at Leeds Magistrate's Court where he gave no plea, Mumtaz did then plead guilty at a pre-trial hearing last month to the following offences: dangerous driving; two counts of possession with intent to supply a class A drug; two counts of possession with intent to supply a class B drug; four counts of possession of an offensive weapon; one count of possession of criminal property and one count of possession of a class B drug.

Giving him concurrent sentences of four and a half years, eight months, six months, six months, three months, eight months and a driving ban for 39 months, Judge Penelope Belcher said: "I recognise you have been used by others but they were your decisions to get involved with drugs and the consequences that follow that."