A CONVICTED drug dealer is back behind bars after he assaulted three police officers during two separate incidents last year.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how on April 29, Jack Fitton, of Halstead Close, Radcliffe, was spotted by a police officer driving a silver Vauxhall Astra on Derby Way at around 9.30pm.

The officer noticed there was damage to the car and decided to follow the vehicle along Rochdale Road when the driver performed a U turn and accelerated, going through a red light at 60mph onto Heywood Street.

A high speed pursuit lasted for about a mile, with Fitton driving on the wrong side of a duel carriageway and losing control, before abandoning the vehicle on Angouleme Way close to the junction with Murray Road and then running off down Market Street.

Fitton was heard to say "come on then, Taser me, I don't give a f***" as officers approached him.

Paul Treble, prosecuting, described how it took three officers to apprehend him with Fitton aiming a head butt at one of them and then lashing out in the police van and making contact with the others.

In interview, Fitton admitted he had taken the vehicle from his partner without her permission.

On Friday, October 9, at around 2am, officers attended Fitton's home address where a woman was sitting outside the house in her car.

She told officers they were in a relationship, but he was refusing to let her into the property.

When Fitton did open the door, the officers entered the house whereupon he became agitated and asked to see a warrant.

He began shouting, clenching his fists and when officers tried to calm him down he tried to punch and head butt them before racially abusing one of them as he was taken into the police van.

A small amount of cannabis was later found on Fitton, 25, who Mr Treble said had previously committed racially aggravated offences and was jailed for three years in 2018 for dealing cocaine and heroin.

Defending Fitton, who was found guilty of aggravated vehicle taking, using a motor vehicle without insurance, using a motor vehicle without a license, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, two counts of common assault on an emergency worker, possession of a class B drug, racially aggravated harassment and common assault of an emergency worker, Tom Worsfold, said his client had been diagnosed with psychosis two years previously.

"Prior to the pandemic he was receiving support and was on medication," said Mr Worsfold. "The support was face to face and beneficial and kept his mental health in check.

"Much of that support was lost and he was not able to access services."

Sentencing Fitton, who appeared from custody, to 16 months in prison, Judge Tina Landale, said: "You acted selfishly, dangerously and impulsively.

"It is complete luck that no one was seriously injured or killed and you were absolutely vile to those officers who tried to arrest you.

"People don't go to work to be assaulted by thugs like you and I am persuaded that racism is part of the bricks and mortar of your character."