Drug dealer led police on high-speed chase before jumping off 12ft bridge in bid to escape

Ruel Craig was spotted driving a stolen Mercedes C220 at 1pm on New Year’s Eve 2022 when he pulled out of some slow-moving traffic on Armley Road in Leeds and sped away from police. He reached speeds of 70mph in a 40mph zone and cut across several lanes of traffic, narrowly avoiding causing a crash.

However, his luck was up a short time later as he crashed into another car and van at the junction of Park Lane and the A58 and Inner Ring Road. The 26-year-old was seen to get out of the driver’s side door and run off, while three other males got out of the car and ran in the opposite direction.

An officer from West Yorkshire Police chased Craig, of Meanwood Valley Close, Leeds, onto a footbridge before he jumped about 12ft below onto a grass bank. He was then seen going into a tunnel against the flow of traffic heading towards Wellington Street. He was stopped by officers as he left the 60-metre stretch of tunnel and was arrested.

Craig, who was wearing a stab vest, balaclava and black gloves, was searched and police found individual wraps of crack cocaine and heroin worth £190, a small amount of cannabis as well as £885 in cash. The Mercedes was searched and officers found a machete and two combat knives were found in the front passenger side footwell. Footage from the pursuing police car’s camera also appeared to show one of the passengers carrying a further machete when they ran off from the crash scene.

Following an investigation, he was charged with a number of offences, including possession of crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply, and dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to the drugs matters at Leeds Crown Court and was sentenced to 50 months in prison on Monday (Jun 26).

He received a consecutive four-month term after admitting dangerous driving, and a concurrent three-month sentence for possessing criminal property in relation to the seized cash.

Detective Sergeant Rob Kennerley, of Leeds District Crime Team, said: “The offences Craig has been convicted of show him to be someone involved in the destructive trade in Class A drugs, which fuels crime and anti-social behaviour in our communities and does significant damage to the lives of individual users and their families.

“He was also prepared to put the safety of other members of the public at risk when he attempted to evade officers at the wheel of a stolen car.

“We hope the significant prison sentence he has received will provide some reassurance to the community and send a clear message to others who think they can flout the law in this way without having to face the consequences.”