A drug dealer led police on a high-speed chase on the M56 motorway before crashing his car near Warrington. Maredudd Francis was sentenced to 52 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges including dangerous driving, possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs, and possession of criminal property.
A drug dealer led police on a 139mph chase along the M56 before crashing his BMW near Warrington. Maredudd Francis, 31, drove at high speed during the 'ludicrous' motorway pursuit towards Manchester before he smashed into another vehicle. The incident unfolded on September 29 last year, when a Cheshire Police officer attempted to stop the grey BMW 325 on the M56 that was being driven by Francis, whose partner was also in the passenger seat.
The BMW had been travelling from the north Wales area and was believed to be linked to the supply of illegal drugs. The officer signalled to the vehicle to follow them off the motorway at junction 11 for Daresbury, Cheshire Police said. Francis initially complied, following the patrol car up the slip road before rapidly accelerating onto a traffic island, narrowly missing a HGV, and re-joining the motorway. A pursuit commenced along the motorway, where speeds of up to 139mph were reached as the BMW weaved between traffic. Small white packages were also seen being thrown out of the passenger-side window during the chase, a court heard. The chase came to a conclusion at junction 10 for Stretton, when the BMW left the motorway via the slip road, went through a red light and onto a traffic island where it collided with a Toyota Hilux. Neither occupants sustained serious injuries. Police dashcam footage showed Francis, who previously captained a Welsh rugby union team, staggering out of the crushed car and surrendering to police with his arms up. An officer is heard saying to him: 'I'll go through a drug wipe with you because you stink of cannabis' before he was arrested for dangerous driving. Francis was then further arrested on suspicion of money laundering after a large quantity of cash wrapped in a rubber band was found in the passenger footwell that Francis admitted belonged to him. Francis was arrested again on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs after he was observed attempting to snap a phone that had been located by officers searching his car whilst he was in handcuffs. Cheshire officers raided a property which was linked to him, and found approximately 8.6kg worth of cocaine, with a potential street value of over £317k, along with around 380kg of cannabis estimated to be worth up to £3.5k. Around £10k in cash, approximately 1000 cigarettes, a Rolex watch and a pair of Versace sunglasses were also found inside a navy suitcase that belonged to Francis. He later pleaded guilty to the charges of possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine), possession with intent to supply class B drugs (cannabis), possession of criminal property and dangerous driving the following day. Francis, of Coed Aben, Wrexham, appeared at Mold Crown Court on January 28 where he was jailed for 52 months. Alongside his custodial sentence, the 31-year-old was handed a two-year driving disqualification that will come into effect upon his release from prison. He will also need to take an extended test before he is allowed back on the road. Following sentencing, PC AJ Reid of Cheshire Police, who engaged in the pursuit of Francis on the M56, said: 'Maredudd Francis' blatant disregard for the safety of not only himself and his partner who was in the car with him, but the other road users on the M56 when he decided to drive at frankly ludicrous speeds, is a testament to how guilty he was and how he thought he could get away with his crimes scot-free. 'The evidence we subsequently found in his vehicle after his arrest, paired with considerable lengths Mr Francis went to attempting to destroy one of his phones that we seized from him whilst he was in handcuffs, led our us to believe that we were dealing with serious drug dealing operation. 'Our suspicions were proven when our subsequent searches found a myriad of both class A and class B substances in his associated address, along with copious amounts of cash, designer goods and apparatus synonymous with drug supply. “Cheshire Constabulary's various teams who were involved in bringing Francis to justice remain committed to disrupting the illegal drugs supply all over the northern area of the county. This is just one of many results which show we are cracking down on this illegal activity which damages so many peoples lives.
Drug Dealer M56 Chase Crash Dangerous Driving Cocaine Cannabis Money Laundering
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