A MAN on the run for almost eight years after failing to turn up for his trial for offences of Class A drug dealing has been arrested on a Bench Warrant and remanded in HMP Leeds.

Richard Mason, 50, was apprehended on Sunday while living at a hostel in Westminster in London and brought to Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

In February 2019, North Yorkshire Police appealed for the public’s help to trace Mason who was living in Skipton when he failed to turn up for his trial.

He was facing allegations concerning a rucksack that allegedly contained drugs including Ecstasy, Magic Mushrooms, LSD and Ketamine.

There was an application to try him in his absence but that was refused, the court heard today.

Mason appeared before a court in London on Monday and was remanded into HMP Wandsworth before being brought back to Yorkshire.

Today, he pleaded guilty to breaching his bail by failing to turn up at Bradford Crown Court for his trial on June 23, 2014.

Mason, who was born in Bridlington but had lived most of his life in London, had been using an assumed name, the court was told.

He was not legally represented for yesterday's hearing and told the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Richard Mansell QC, he had been homeless and sleeping rough for some of the time he was at large.

Judge Mansell remanded him into custody until Monday when he will appear before the court on a video link from prison.

He told Mason: “I can’t let you go again, you’ve been missing for almost eight years.”