Crime
VIDEO: Police chase shoeless drugs dealer with ‘one cuff on him’
Video of the moment a suspected drug dealer who ran from a police officer with no shoes on and “one cuff on him” has been released by Cambridgeshire police.
“Stay where you are, stay where you are, just relax, just relax,” shouts the officer as he tries to arrest 18-year-old Jamie Lee.
The officer calls for urgent assistance as he tries to catch up with the fleeing suspect, telling control the teenager had been stopped under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
In response to the control room’s questioning, the officer says he has “just been assaulted, chasing suspect going back towards the nature reserve”.
The officer tells then tells control the suspect is “ICI man (one of the codes used by the British police in radio communications and crime recording systems to describe the apparent ethnicity of the suspect).
“Got no shoes on, got one cuff on him,” says the officer before explaining that he personally had an injury to his left hand and safe.
The last time we hear the officer on the video, he tells control “I’m safe”.
The handcuffed man who ran away from police during the drugs search has been convicted.
“Neighbourhood officers were on patrol in Fulbourn near Cambridge in response to drug dealing in the area on 23 February when they came across James Lee parked up at the recreational ground,” said a police spokesperson.
“With a strong smell of cannabis in the air, Lee was asked to get out of his car so he could be searched.”
As the officer carried out the search, Lee started to object and became obstructive.
“He was put in handcuffs so the search could be completed but assaulted the officer and ran off as the second cuff was being put on,” said the spokesperson.
Police visited the 18-year-old’s home in High Street, Great Wilbraham, the next day to arrest Lee and retrieve the handcuff which was still attached to his wrist.
Cannabis and cash were seized from his bedroom.
At Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (18 May), Lee pleaded guilty to assault of an emergency worker and being concerned in the supply of class B drugs.
He was given a 12-month community order and must carry out 60 hours unpaid work and 20 days rehabilitation requirement.
PC Bujar Mani, who investigated, said: “Thankfully the officer received minor injuries but highlights the danger all emergency workers put themselves in as part of their role.”
