Selby heroin and crack dealer Jonathan Crosland jailed

A drug dealer who tried to escape from police by driving across fields in a 4x4 has been jailed for five years and nine months.

The arrest of Jonathan Crosland, of Cawood, near Selby, came after police spent weeks observing his activities.

Heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated value of £170,000 were found in cavity walls of a building he owned.

The 50-year-old admitted at an earlier hearing being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

North Yorkshire Police said its operation to gather evidence against Crosland began in early 2021.

Officers saw Crosland, travelling as a passenger in a 4x4 vehicle, visit a partially-built building on his farmland on 3 March.

It was believed to be a stash-point for drugs and he was later observed leaving to visit a drop-point at the end of a track.

At that point police made the decision to arrest him and attempted to stop the vehicle, which drove off across fields with two police vehicles in pursuit.

Crosland eventually fled the vehicle and made off down a stream before being detained.

Searches of the property resulted in heroin and crack cocaine being found hidden in the cavity walls of the building.

The drugs weighed 5kg and police estimate they would have generated £170,000 when sold to users.

Speaking after sentencing at York Crown Court, Det Insp Michelle Falkingham said the arrest and prosecution had "disrupted and broken" a major chain supplying class A drugs.

"The movement and supply of drugs involves the exploitation of vulnerable people and Crosland was profiting from and living off the misery of others for his own gain," she added.

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