Drug dealer forced Midland Metro tram to a halt during chase through Wolverhampton

Irtaza Raza, aged 20, was followed by officers at around 5.50pm on November 30 after the Mercedes A Class he drove past in flagged up on the police computer as uninsured.

When he saw the blue lights, he accelerated away down Wolverhampton Road, joining Bilston Road on the way into the city centre, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Prosecuting, Mr Neil Ahuja said Raza drove on tram lines, forcing a moving tram to stop, and attempted to swap seats with his front seat passenger.

He had £120 worth of heroin, £190 worth of crack cocaine, a quantity of cannabis and a grinder and £403.80 in cash.

"The vehicle got stuck in the middle of traffic and forced its way past onto the tramlines," Mr Ahuja said.

"A tram was forced to stop as the car travelled further from the reach of officers.

"The caught up with him further up the road, and when he was searched he was found to have drugs stuffed down his underwear.

"He made a no comment stance when interviewed by police. He has convictions for 18 offences. There are a number of related serious matters and he has a history of serious driving offences."

Raza, from Compton Road, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a class A drug with intent to supply, one of possession of a class B drug with intent to supply, breach of a suspended sentence, dangerous driving and driving with no insurance.

He was sentenced to four years and five months in prison and disqualified from driving for two years from the date he is released from custody.

No charges were brought against the other man in the car with Raza.

Defending, Rachel Pennington, said: "His best mitigation is his early guilty plea. He accepts full responsibility.

"He is a young man, but I accept his record and his recent driving offences are an aggravating feature."