Four years jail for addict after giving policeman V-sign
OFFICER SPOTTED BAGS OF DRUGS IN CAR AS HE TRIED TO DRIVE AWAY
A DRUG addict who stuck two fingers up at a police officer who spotted him on his phone at the wheel unwittingly revealed his stash of pills, cocaine and heroin.
As Ashley Cullen was jailed for four years, his lawyer said: “If he hadn’t given that ‘V’ sign and just come off the phone, things would have been very different.”
Manchester Crown Court heard the officer was walking along Kesteven Road, in Harpurhey, on May 14 when he spotted Cullen using his phone while driving a Mercedes.
The officer shouted to the 26-yearold to stop and put his mobile down.
After Cullen pulled over, the officer saw a number of bags in his car.
As Cullen tried to drive away, he stuck two fingers up at the officer, prosecutor Adam Lodge said.
The quick-thinking PC pulled the keys from the ignition and arrested Cullen before he could get away.
It was later found that the bags contained around £2,500-worth of amphetamines, 71g of cocaine and £1,000-worth of heroin.
Defending, David Thomson said Cullen was addicted to class A drugs, and was dealing to pay off debts to his own dealers.
Judge Martin Rudland said: “All those years of imprisonment that have got to follow, because of the ‘V’ sign.”
Cullen, who has never taken a driving test, admitted possessing class A and B drugs, driving while disqualified, and using a mobile phone while driving.
He was also sentenced for driving away from police and leading them on a five minute chase, before crashing into parked cars, in a separate incident. The court heard Cullen was driving on Church Lane, in Moston, on July 4 last year when an officer spotted his Vauxhall Astra had a broken tail light.
Police signalled for him to pull over, but he sped away. During the pursuit, Cullen reached speeds of 50mph in a 30mph zone.
The chase ended on Keynsham Road in Clayton, after Cullen skidded and collided with other vehicles. He got out and ran off, but was later arrested.
“This was an extremely serious example of dangerous driving,” Judge Rudland said.
Cullen, of Gloucester Road, Droylsden, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, and driving without a licence or insurance, in relation to the incident in July.