Corby drug dealers locked up after one bit police officer

A drug dealer from Corby who bit a police officer as he tried to evade arrest has been jailed.

Lewis Buckland fled when he and fellow dealer Jacob Sawa were approached by undercover officers in Exeter and he sunk his teeth into one of them as he was being held down on the ground.

His friend Sawa threw away a Kinder egg containing the drugs before he was nabbed but it was found on the verge nearby. He was carrying a knuckleduster but did not use it.

Both men made a 500 mile round trip to Exeter from Corby and spent four nights sharing a room at a hotel while they sold at least 300 wraps of heroin and cocaine on the streets.

Police searched their room at the hotel in Alphington Road and found 270 wraps of class A drugs and 13 of cannabis with a total street value of £2,715.

They also had £1,253 in cash, much of which came from previous sales, and three phones. The only drug message recovered by police was from a customer in Little Stanion.

Buckland, aged 21, of Beanfield Avenue, and Sawa, aged 21, of Boughton Road, both Corby, admitted possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply. Buckland admitted assault on police and Sawa possession of a knuckleduster and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Buckland was jailed for two years and four months and Sawa for two years and three months by Judge Timothy Rose.

He told them: ”You had made a journey of some distance solely for the purpose of dealing drugs. It is a dramatic feature of this case that it was such a deliberate and purposeful exercise.

“Buckland, you bit the police officer when you were arrested. It was a completely uncalled for and utterly unnecessary act of violence while trying to avoid being caught.

“The bite drew blood and anyone who has their skin broken in this way will have some understandable fears about serious infection.”

Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said the men booked into the St Andrews Hotel in Exeter on February 2 last year and were still there when they were arrested in Western Way four days later.

Plain clothes officers saw them skulking against a wall and the two men fled in different directions when they were challenged. Both were caught but Buckland put up a violent struggle in which he bit the officer.

Sawa threw away a Kinder egg which was later found to have three wraps of heroin in it. The remaining wraps and cash were found at the hotel room.

Barry White, for Buckland, said he left school at 16 and trained as a welder but lost his job. He was only 20 when he was sent to Exeter to deal drugs by those above him in the chain of supply.

He also suffered some injuries in the struggle with the police.

Justin Hugheston-Roberts, for Sawa, said he has no convictions and was sent to Exeter to pay off a drug debt.

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