AN ARMED drug dealer who tried to ram police when trying to escape arrest in Basingstoke has been jailed.

David Afolabi, 28, of Gibbon Road, London, was jailed for 12 and a half years for several offences committed in Basingstoke.

Afolabi thought he could flee from officers when they attempted to pull his car over on September 3.

Knowing he was carrying a firearm with ammunition and a quantity of Class A and B, he failed to stop but was soon involved in a collision which forced him to flee on foot.

Despite his attempts to escape by jumping over fences, he was caught by officers and arrested.

At Winchester Crown Court yesterday (November 8) Afolabi pleaded guilty to ten charges, including five from the incident in September.

The charges for the incident in September were: possession of a firearm, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A – Heroin, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A – Cocaine, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class B – Cannabis, and driving a motor vehicle dangerously.

The court heard how officers tried to pull over Afolabi’s BMW 1 Series as it drove down Park Prewett Road just after 1pm on September 3. At one point, Afolabi went into reverse to try and ram a pursuing police car, which was unsuccessful.

Within two minutes, he had crashed with a white Fiesta in Aldermaston Road and fled the scene on foot.

Officers caught up with him and he was arrested.

A firearm was recovered from the scene, and tests later confirmed that it was viable and had three rounds of ammunition in it, the court heard.

Afolabi was also charged with five offences in relation to an incident in Worting Road on December 30.

He was charged with driving a motor vehicle dangerously, possession of a knife/sharp pointed article in a public place, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A – cocaine, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A – heroin and acquire/use/possess criminal property.

The court was told how police tried to stop a Vauxhall Insignia being driven by Afolabi but he failed to stop.

A short time later the car was in collision with a Vauxhall Corsa causing Afolabi to flee on foot.

Officers chased him and he was arrested.

At Winchester Crown Court yesterday Afolabi was sentenced to a total of 12 and a half years in prison. 

DC Drew Wright said: “I hope this sentencing reassures residents in Basingstoke that a dangerous driver and drug dealer has been taken off our streets.

“It is clear from what happened that Afolabi didn’t care whose lives he put at risk, he only cared about himself and would do whatever he could to escape justice.

“Thanks to the officers who spotted his car and persisted in capturing him, a live firearm is no longer within our community.”

He added: “As you can see from the footage, Afolabi put the lives of many motorists and pedestrians at risk.

“The speed he travelled at around residential streets and the hospital estate was reckless and showed a total disregard for other members of the community.

“It is only sheer luck that nobody was seriously injured.”