A UNIVERSITY student has been jailed for more than three and a half years after dealing class A drugs to support himself.

Asim Dawood admitted dealing heroin from his car, as well as possessing a 10-inch lock knife and a money laundering offence, after being spotted in a Volkswagen Golf in Low Moor last year.

Dawood, 22, of Southmere Drive, Great Horton, also admitted driving dangerously, driving while disqualified and without insurance, following an incident in March in the Little Horton Lane area.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that Dawood was seen by police officers on patrol on New Works Road in Low Moor at 2am on August 18 last year.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye detailed how the officers had seen Dawood at the wheel of the Golf and another man was leaning into the parked vehicle.

When they pulled him over they could see five or six empty bags and cash dotted around the car as well as a lock knife in the centre console.

Miss Kaye said police found a total of £498 in cash and 16 wraps of heroin totalling 2.90 grams with a street value of £29.

The court was also shown dash-cam footage of police pursuing Dawood in a red Seat Leon.

Miss Kaye said officers were on patrol on Little Horton Lane at 7.25pm on March 26, when the Leon pulled out in front of another vehicle.

The officers signalled him to pull over, which he initially did, then sped off as the officer got out of the car.

In a four-minute pursuit, Dawood covered approximately 1.6 miles, reaching more than double the speed limit in residential streets.

She told the court he ran straight across junctions, hit speed bumps at excess speeds, weaved in an out of traffic to evade police, and ran through a red light.

Tom Rushbrooke for Dawood said he was in his third year of a university degree in Manchester and had “very foolishly got in with the wrong crowd”.

“He was offered a way to make some easy money and that’s how he got involved with drug dealing.”

He then used his student loan to buy the Leon, but found it too expensive to insure.

He said that Dawood was very ashamed of his actions and that he should have stopped for the police, but panicked instead.

“His immediate future has been ruined”, he added.

Recorder George Cook sentenced Dawood to three years and eight months in prison and and disqualified him from driving for two years from release.

The judge said Dawood had “put a stall” in his university career through his behaviour and described his actions in March as a “disgraceful piece of driving.”