Drug dealer bites police officer after being ‘caught red handed’ with cocaine and heroin in Northampton

A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in prison for attacking two police officers who caught him with Class A drugs.

Tyrone Maitland, previously of Hart Way in Rushden, was stopped by police in Northampton on May 5 earlier this year and was detained under the misuse of drugs act, Northampton Crown Court heard on Friday, July 21.

Maitland struggled and shouted at the two police officers and attempted to bite both of them, successfully biting one of their thighs. A spit bonnet was then placed on him after he threatened to spit on the officers.

The 19-year-old was searched and he was found to be in possession of 82 individual wraps of heroin and crack cocaine valued at £820, a lock knife and £138.10 in cash. He wore two pairs of trousers in an attempt to conceal the cash and he was arrested, the court heard.

Last month, Maitland pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting emergency workers, possessing a blade in a public place, possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and acquiring criminal property namely cash.

In committing these offences, Maitland was in breach of a suspended six month prison sentence order, which was imposed earlier this year after he conspired to commit burglary and criminal damage, the court heard.

He was also in breach of a 24 month youth rehabilitation order, which was imposed in 2021 after he - and others - launched a group attack on a man in a brawl about drugs and pleaded guilty in court to wounding with intent.

Ben Gow, prosecuting, told the court that, during this attack, the victim was stamped, kicked and punched and stabbed to the hand, which severed his tendons. Although Maitland was not the one who inflicted the stab wound, he was still part of the attack at the age of just 16.

Jonathan Rosen, in mitigation, argued that Maitland’s drugs offences fall into “lesser role” rather than significant role because there was no evidence that the defendant expected a significant financial gain from this enterprise.

The court heard that Maitland himself had been the victim of grooming and he had undertaken educational courses during his remand in custody because he wanted to “draw a line” under his offending.

His Honour Judge Dickinson KC, sitting as a deputy circuit judge, said: “It is nasty. Police just have to put up with it when they are doing their job and they did not do anything wrong. They caught you red handed.”

The judge continued: “You can do better than this, I don't know if we will ever meet again but I don't want you to be spending your life serving longer sentences particularly in adult prison which is much worse. You can do better and I really hope you do.”

Maitland was sentenced to three years in prison.