Cocaine dealer ran over officer’s foot and crashed

A MAN who ran over a police officer’s foot and smashed into eight vehicles while trying to evade arrest has been jailed for five years.

Dayle McCarthy, 26, was spotted driving a hire car in Barry on August 26.

After suspecting he stopped the car in Regent Street to carry out a drug deal, officers approached his car and tried to identify themselves.

With his car containing a quantity of cash, cocaine, scales and other drug-related paraphernalia, McCarthy went to great lengths to try to flee the scene.

He ran over the foot of one officer, while CCTV footage from a nearby newsagents shows him carrying out erratic manoeuvres in the Vauxhall Astra.

He pulled onto the pavement of the terrace street, hitting a brick wall and damaging a row of parked cars as he tried to escape.

He made it 50 yards along the street before crashing into the back of one of the vehicles, where he was then arrested by officers.

McCarthy, of Gilbert Lane, Barry, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the production and supply of Class A drugs, possessing Class A drugs with the intent to supply, dangerous driving, driving other than in accordance with a licence, and driving without insurance.

Jailing him for a total of five years, Judge Eleri Rees also imposed a driving ban lasting four and a half years.

Detective Inspector Dean Taylor, of South Wales Police, said: “Dayle McCarthy showed a complete disregard not only for his own safety that day, but also for that of our officers and the general public.

“His manner of driving was completely reckless, causing thousands of pounds’ worth of damage, and all in an attempt to try and evade being brought to justice for plying his drug trade and causing untold misery in the town.”