A drug dealer who injured three police officers as he tried to escape capture in Clacton has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Paul Oakley, 28, of no fixed abode, was sentenced on Friday, April 20, at Chelmsford Crown Court, after pleading guilty to two counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, dangerous driving, money laundering, driving without insurance and driving without a seatbelt.

Officers from the North Operation Raptor Team were out on patrol on Thursday, March 8, when they became suspicious of a black Peugeot which was being driven poorly and at speed on Cambridge Road, St John’s Road and North Road.

The car was also seen being approached by various people.

When it came to a stop on North Road, police became suspicious that a drug deal was about to take place. Two officers approached the vehicle on foot while another two pulled up behind in an unmarked car. As officers shouted ‘police’ the driver, Oakley, began reversing at speed, hitting an officer with the car’s open door causing a concussion, a broken wrist and a broken nose. The second officer managed to dive out of the way.

The car then reversed into the unmarked police car with such force it pushed it back, despite the handbrake being on. Two officers in the car suffered whiplash, back and shoulder injuries.

Oakley was arrested and searched and was found in possession of 31 wraps of crack cocaine and 17 of heroin.

He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison and banned from the road for 27 months.

Following the sentencing Sgt Andy Stott of the North Operation Raptor team said: “Oakley had absolutely no regard for the lives of my team when he reversed his car at speed to avoid capture.

“It was only luck that none of us were seriously injured, but those injuries we did receive were bad enough.

“Operation Raptor teams, both in the North and the rest of the county, will continue to leave no stone unturned in our relentless pursuit of those who think they can come to our county and sell drugs on our streets. We know that we will face danger, threats and sometimes physical harm. But we remain committed to preventing the harm that these ruthless criminals cause in our communities and like Oakley we will continue to hunt them down, arrest them and lock them up.”