Banbury man jailed for a string offences related to drug dealing

A man from Banbury has been jailed for a string of offences related to drug dealing.

Lewis Abubakar was sentenced to a total of five years and five months in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday (23/11).

Abubakar, aged 29, of Ferriston, pleaded guilty to money laundering, possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine, possession of criminal property, criminal damage and escape from lawful custody.

The total sentence also includes one of 12 months for escaping custody to run consecutively to that of four years and five months for the other offences.

Police identified three bank accounts linked to the Abubakar, which had £240,000 in total credited to them between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2019.

No legitimate source of income was identified, and so it was believed it was the proceeds of Abubakar’s drug dealing activities.

He was charged with money laundering on February 13, 2020.

At around 4pm on April 14, 2021, Abubakar was stopped by police in Crumps Butts, Bicester, while entering his Audi A3, which was thought to contain class A drugs.

Initially he struggled with officers in an effort to flee but once detained, he was searched and officers found £510 in cash.

Officers also found heroin and crack cocaine in the vehicle - with a total street value of £2,000.

Following his arrest, Abubakar stated he had a wrist injury so he was taken to Horton General Hospital for treatment.

The handcuff on the defendant’s injured wrist was loosened, which he slipped and fled from the A&E department in the early hours of April 15, 2021.

Abubakar was on the run for 40 days, with two wanted appeals made to the public to help find him, before he was located and arrested in Abingdon on May 25, 2021.

Detective Sergeant Steven Bates, of the Priority Crime Team for Cherwell and West Oxfordshire, based at Witney police station, said: “Tackling drugs supply remains a top priority for Thames Valley Police.

“We will actively seek to disrupt organised drug supply to protect our communities.

“Through Stronghold, we are committed to working in partnership to tackle serious organised crime and exploitation, such as county lines drug dealing.

“We continue to need the support of the public in this, and we would ask them to report any information that they have about drug dealing.

“This can be shared with Thames Valley Police on our website or by calling 101. You can also report anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”