Drug dealer's time on run ended by Taser during raid on Northampton hotel

Police Tasered a wanted drugs dealer after hunting him down to a Northampton hotel, a court heard.

Umar Bashir barged his way past officers to escape arrest at his home in November last year.

But officers tracked Bashir down at the Campanile Hotel, next to junction 15 on the M1, nearly two weeks later.

In his room, they found class A drugs as well as other drug-dealing paraphernalia including cling film and electronic scales.

The retrieved drugs, 83 wraps and a 10g lump, were analysed and identified to be crack cocaine, worth around £2,700.

Bashir, aged 28 and from Woodfield, Banbury, was jailed for three years, four months at Oxford Crown Court after admitting possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, possession of cocaine and escape of lawful custody.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police, who led the hunt for Bashir, said: "I hope that this length of sentence reflects the seriousness of this offending."

Bashir appeared to be ready to give himself up after answering his front door to officers executing a warrant to send him back to prison on November 16, but he muscled his way out and disappeared.

He was on the run for 13 days until November 29 when officers attended the Grange Park hotel and found Bashir’s partner outside.

They identified his room and entered but were met by an uncompliant Bashir who was subsequently Tasered and arrested.