Drug dealer who twice led police on high speed chases through Bradford is jailed for six-and-a-half years

Tassaduq Hussain told officers: “I am high. I am off my head,” after smashing into two parked vehicles while on bail for selling wraps of heroin and crack cocaine on the streets and dangerous driving without a licence or insurance.

Bailed a third time, by Bradford and Keighley magistrates, he was spotted selling Class A drugs to three customers in the city centre and caught with 160 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine, worth £1,600, hidden down his underpants.

Hussain, 25, of Coates Street, West Bowling, Bradford, was banned from driving for six years by the judge, Recorder Simon Batiste, who heard he had previous convictions for robbery, possession of Class B drugs and numerous breaches of an Anti Social Behaviour Order.

He was brought in custody to Bradford Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, dangerous driving and driving uninsured and without a licence on November 20 last year.

Hussain also admitted dangerous driving without a licence and insurance on February 15 this year and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs on March 10.

Prosecutor Abigail Langford said Hussain drove at up to 80mph in a 30 zone during a police pursuit from Otley Road, along Bolton Road and Harrogate Road, and on to Apperley Lane, at 11pm on November 20.

He jumped several red lights in a Skoda Octavia before losing control of the car, fishtailing across the road and hitting a lamppost.

Hussain ran off but was arrested with 60 wraps of crack cocaine on him, at 96 per cent purity, and 20 wraps of heroin, at 60 per cent purity.

He made no comment when questioned by the police.

On bail, he was seen swerving in Canal Road in a Vauxhall Corsa, shortly after midnight on February 15.

Police were alerted to the vehicle because they suspected it had been involved in an earlier driving incident in Allerton, and gave chase.

Hussain sped through a red light at the junction of Queen’s Road and Midland Road, almost crashing and forcing another vehicle to pull over.

He was pursued on to Priestman Street where he struck two parked vehicles, causing extensive damage.

Hussain, who had passengers in the car with him, told the police: “Sorry, sorry. I am high. I am off my head.”

But Miss Langford told the court that a drug test proved negative.

On bail again, Hussain was caught with a stash of heroin and crack cocaine after a black Peugeot, in which he was front seat passenger, was followed by the police at 9.15pm on March 10.

The police saw drugs being sold from the car in Manningham Lane, Sunbridge Road and Listerhills Road.

After the car was pulled over by traffic police, Hussain was found to have £115 in cash and 160 wraps of Class A drugs in his underpants. He tested positive for opiates.

Recorder Batiste ordered the confiscation of £260.90 seized from Hussain when he was drug dealing.

Hussain’s barrister, Ken Green, said his client was a married man who had been in the grip of Class A drug addiction for nine years.

“He was addicted to crack cocaine and all his money was going into that, including stealing from family members,” Mr Green said.

Last year, Hussain was in significant debt to his dealer and agreed to sell drugs on the streets. After he was arrested, he was pressured to carry on dealing because he had lost a haul of drugs and the car he was using had been damaged.

“Unfortunately for Mr Hussain, he was granted bail again by the magistrates' court,” Mr Green said.

Hussain weighed only six stone and was on medication for depression.

“He may be a suicide watch case because of his mental state,” Mr Green said.

Recorder Batiste told Hussain: “You clearly chose to continue to involve yourself in the drug dealing trade.

“You are someone who is quite content to commit criminal offences.”

After the case, Sergeant Cameron Buchan, of West Yorkshire Police's Safer Roads and Neighbourhood Support team, said: "We hope this strong sentence will send out a message to others that dangerous driving will not be tolerated in Bradford district.

"It is people like Hussain that Operation Steerside was designed to target and remove from the roads - dangerous drivers who put people's lives at risks with their reckless actions.

"The fact he is now behind bars for the next few years should provide the public with some reassurance that these matters are viewed extremely seriously by the police and the courts.

"Police and partners are committed to making the roads in Bradford safer for all law-abiding people and we would urge the public to play their part by reporting dangerous drivers to bd.steerside@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk"