Banbury man jailed for supply of crack cocaine

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man from Banbury has been jailed for supplying class A drugs.

Umar Bashir, aged 28, of Woodfield, was sentenced to a total of three years and four months in prison at Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Tuesday January 4.

Bashir pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, possession of cocaine and escape of lawful custody.

On November 16 officers from the Cherwell and West Oxfordshire Tasking Team attended Bashir’s address as he was wanted on recall to prison.

He answered the door and appeared to be compliant before pushing officers apart and ultimately escaping.

Enquiries continued to locate and arrest Bashir but it was clear he was actively evading police.

On November 29 officers attended the Campanile Northampton hotel and located Bashir’s partner outside before identifying his room.

Officers entered the room and met an uncompliant Bashir who was subsequently Tasered and arrested on suspicion of escaping lawful custody.

Inside the hotel room, class A drugs were on show within three green parcels and loose on the surface as well as other drug-dealing paraphernalia including cling film and electronic scales.

Bashir was then further arrested on suspicion of drug supply offences and he was charged in the early hours of November 30.

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

PC Torran O’Dowda, of the Cherwell Local Policing Area Tasking Team based at Bicester police station, said: “We will continue to target these offenders and will use a variety of tactics to ensure we are pursuing those that sit at the top of the drug line hierarchy who base themselves both within and outside the Thames Valley.

“Drug supply and will not be tolerated by Thames Valley Police, and I hope that this length of sentence reflects the seriousness of this offending.

“Although actively trying to evade police, we will continue to focus our efforts on locating criminals who pursue this kind of criminality.

“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 information anonymously by calling independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”