A DANGEROUS getaway driver who trafficked heroin and crack cocaine into Worcester is now behind bars after he crashed following a high speed police chase.

Tariq Stevens ferried the ‘manager' and her 'plugger' about and acted as a courier for the drugs, bringing them from Birmingham to Worcester. When police became suspicious he put his foot down, leading officers on a chase during which over £10,000 of crack and heroin was thrown out of the car window. The 39-year-old, previously of Wretham Road, Birmingham, drove around the Claines roundabout the wrong way, ran a red light and ultimately crashed the hired Nissan at the Sixways roundabout for junction 6 of the M5.

Stevens had already admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply, possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply (both class A drugs), possession of a class C drug and dangerous driving when he appeared for sentence at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday via videolink from HMP Hewell.

Stevens swore at the judge when he learned of his four year immediate sentence. Judge Nicolas Cartwright, who appeared unfazed by the remark, ordered the link to be closed down.

Stevens was sentenced separately from his co-defendants, ‘manager’ Sophie Thompson and ‘plugger’ Davinder Rana who had been in the car with him, because he had not boarded the prison transport for last Thursday’s sentencing hearing. Thompson got 45 months, Rana five years and eight months because this was his third conviction for dealing class A drug. The dealers discarded 48.181g of heroin at 72 to 73 per cent purity with a street value of around £4,800 and 52.6g of crack cocaine of up to 91 per cent purity with a street value of around £5,500 in Ombersley Road, Worcester during the pursuit on April 26.

Sabhia Pathan, for Stevens, said her client’s last conviction was in 1995, saying he had suffered ‘bereavement issues’ following the death of his mother. “This was exacerbated by the deportation of his father to Pakistan around the summer months” she said.

She said Stevens’s father had been here for 40 years. Miss Pathan said her client, a father-of-four, had developed 'deep-seated' depression and started taking drugs, lost his job and 'resorted to bad company'.

Judge Cartwright said: "A significant quantity of class A drugs were being delivered to the Worcester area for onward supply.

"This was obviously an organised and well-executed trip down to Worcester to supply class A drugs." The judge banned him from driving for 22 months, extended so the ban will begin when Stevens is released. He must also complete an extended driving retest.