A DRUG dealing law student, who injured two policemen when he reversed at speed while trying to swallow his crack cocaine and heroin stash, has been locked up for three years and four months.

Mohammed Butt, 20, weaved fast backwards 150 yards in an Audi A3, throwing one officer on to the bonnet and a second, who had his arm through the car window, into the road.

Butt, of Waverley Avenue, Great Horton, Bradford, was blocked in by the police at the end of Walshaw Street, Great Horton, Bradford, and arrested, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He was released on bail after questioning and caught again peddling Class A drugs six months later, this time in a VW Passat on Little Horton Lane in Bradford.

Butt, described in court yesterday as a bright and capable student, who is the son of a well-respected local businessman, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine on January 2 and dangerous driving the same day. He further admitted supplying heroin and crack cocaine to Stephen Geoffrey Ellerton on July 1.

Prosecutor Allan Armbrister told the court that the first set of offences were detected when police on patrol saw a suspected street drug deal involving Butt, the sole occupant of a white Audi A3.

When approached, Butt put a package in his mouth and started to drink, Mr Armbrister said.

When an officer smashed the car window and lent in to grab him, Butt reversed at speed, narrowly missing parked vehicles.

After he was blocked in, Butt tried to climb out of the car window to escape.

The drugs package he put in his mouth was recovered and he had £436 in cash on him. The drugs comprised 12 wraps of crack cocaine and fourteen wraps of heroin, the court heard.

Mr Armbrister said one officer sustained grazing to his arm, side and knee and his colleague suffered less serious grazing.

While on bail, Butt was seen selling heroin and crack cocaine in the street to Stephen Ellerton.

He was re-arrested and remanded in custody.

Butt's barrister, Mohammed Nawaz, said he was a young man of previous good character.

He had been enrolled at university and should have been planning his marriage.

Mr Nawaz handed the judge, Recorder Peter Pimm, a sheaf of references from Butt's family and teachers.

"He is a bright, capable, pleasant, kind young man who is deeply remorseful. His case shows that no one is immune from the cancer in our society of drug dealing," Mr Nawaz said.

Butt was one of a handful of inmates picked to carry out paid work to refurbish the prison where he was being held on remand, the court was told.

Recorder Pimm sentenced Butt to a total of 40 months in a young offender institution. He was banned from driving for 18 months.

He said Butt was spoken of very highly in a file of character references and had been given opportunities in life not available to many others who came before the courts for similar offending.