Bradford's top judge is asking a police chief to explain why a self-confessed crack cocaine dealer failed to show at court to be sentenced.

Investigations were today under way to discover the whereabouts of Teyab Bukhari, who had been facing imprisonment after pleading guilty to heroin and crack cocaine charges.

Bukhari, 41, who has already served a jail term for drugs offences, failed to appear at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, even though he had been required to report to police three times a week as part of his bail conditions.

The Honorary Recorder of Bradford, Judge Stephen Gullick, told the court he would be writing to the Divisional Commander of Bradford South Police, Chief Superintendent Sarah Brown, to find out what had gone wrong.

He said he would express his concerns after the prosecution had been unable to establish from police when Bukhari had last signed in at Trafalgar House police station.

But police in Bradford last night said they had not been informed about Bukhari after his previous court appearance.

Bukhari, of Pool Court, Barkerend Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court on March 6 this year to ten charges of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine.

Judge Robert Bartfield renewed Bukhari's conditional bail, imposed by magistrates the previous December. The conditions included that he resided at his home address and reported to Trafalgar House police station every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday between 2pm and 4pm.

Judge Gullick issued a warrant for his arrest not backed with bail when he failed to turn up at court yesterday.

The judge asked prosecutor John Bull to check with the police station whether Bukhari had signed in on Wednesday.

But after making inquiries Mr Bull told the court a woman at the station had not been able to give him any information about when Bukhari had last signed in.

Judge Gullick said he would write to Chief Supt Brown to express his concern that the police could not provide the information. He said that, although Bukhari was not potentially dangerous, other defendants would be.

But Chief Inspector Tim Redhead, of Bradford South Police, said the division had no knowledge of Bukhari being required to report to them.

Chief Insp Redhead said: "Bradford South Division has no records of Mr Bukhari on bail during this relevant period, nor of him being required to sign or report at the police station.

"The process is for the courts to fax information to the headquarters at Wakefield and the information is disseminated from there. I have not yet been able to establish whether this information was received at headquarters."

Police have released a photograph of Bukhari and urged the public to help to trace him.

Sergeant Chris Day, of Bradford District Drugs Team, said: "This man has been convicted at court and was due to be sentenced yesterday. A lot of hard work went into tracking him down and I would urge anyone who knows where he is to contact us. He needs to be brought to justice."

Anyone who has information about Bukhari's whereabouts is asked to call the Dob in a Dealer line on 0800 555 111.

Bukhari was jailed for a year by Judge Gullick in March 2005 after pleading guilty to two charges of supplying controlled drugs.

The former butcher used his car to ferry a drug dealer to meet clients on the streets of Bradford.

He was arrested after undercover police officers posed as buyers and were sold wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.

Judge Gullick told him at the time: "This was street dealing and your particular role as the driver of the car was of the greatest importance."