Falkirk drug dealer led police on high speed car chase through public park

George Graham (31), 15 Randyford Street, Falkirk, appeared from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to stealing a television from Tesco in Redding on February 16 last year, being concerned in the supply of £600 of heroin at an address in Haig Street, Grangemouth on March 22, 2019 and a number of road traffic offences in Etna Road and various other locations on May 8, 2019.

Sean Maher, procurator fiscal depute, said: “Officers obtained and executed a search warrant at 9.30am. They found the door was not secure and entered. Mr Graham was within the address with two other individuals.

"He told officers ‘Anything that is found is mine’. Within the kitchen a Kinder Egg was found to contain seven wraps of a brown substance and officers also discovered £280 in cash.”

Police also uncovered a set of scales, two tick lists of customers, three mobile phones and £600 worth of heroin.

Mr Maher said: “He stated to officers ‘I’m a dealer and if you had come yesterday you could have got triple this’. He said the drugs were his and the cash belonged to his wife.”

A couple of months later, Graham was involved in a police pursuit – which initially saw him try to evade capture in a car and then on foot.

Mr Maher said: "At 11.15am officers on mobile patrol when a Ford Focus came to their attention and the driver was recognised to be Mr Graham. Officers had a strong suspicion he had no license and efforts were made to catch up to the vehicle.”

Stopped at temporary traffic lights, officers activated their blue lights, but Graham failed to acknowledge this and sped off.

“On clearing the roadworks Mr Graham’s car increased its speed and made no attempt to pull over,” said Mr Maher.

The pursuit continued along Etna Road, as Graham’s car weaved between cars on either side of the road at high speed. He then drove his car onto and across Victoria Park.

"The park has a large play park and is popular with dog walkers,” said Mr Maher. “Mr Graham’s vehicle was observed to cross this ground at speed and then go onto a footpath.

"He was then seen to drive on the wrong side of the road in Etna Road, weaving past parked vehicles and other road users had to take evasive action."

He was lost from sight on Thornhill Road, but was seen to fail to collide with a parked vehicle in Wallace Street.

"The collision brought him to a halt and he made off on foot, pursued by police officers, but was lost from sight. They eventually traced him hiding in a bin,” said Mr Maher.

The court heard Graham, who is married with two young children, was now deemed unsuitable for a drug treatment and testing order.

Sheriff Christopher Shead banned Graham from driving for 16 months and sent him to prison for 15 months.