A drug dealer who crashed during a high-speed car chase has been ordered to hand over more than £3,000 to the Crown.
Steven Whyte, who was jailed for two years in September, has been ordered to hand over £3,120 under Proceeds of Crime legislation.
The order was granted by Sheriff George Way at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Whyte was pursued by police after two officers on mobile patrol spotted him running a red light in his Ford Focus.
He then drove at excessive speed as they activated blue lights and pursued him around Dundee city centre for several minutes.
Whyte drove through more red lights and ignored stop signs, forcing numerous other drivers to swerve to avoid being struck by his vehicle.
He also careered across roundabouts and mounted a grassy central reservation before eventually smashing into a parked Vauxhall Corsa.
Caught with cocaine
Whyte, 30, fled from the car and ran through more than a dozen gardens, before he was finally apprehended in Haldane Gardens.
He was found to have dilated pupils and glazed eyes and cocaine was found in wraps hidden in the driver’s footwell of his car.
Officers sought to carry out a blood test but Whyte refused and told them he had a fear of needles.
They pointed out he had a number of tattoos.
Whyte, from Dundee, admitted driving dangerously on January 10 this year and failing to provide a blood sample.
He also admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
‘Fear of needles’
Fiscal depute Gavin Burton told Dundee Sheriff Court: “He stated there were drugs in the vehicle.
“He later refused to give a sample of blood.
“He stated he had a fear of needles, but it was pointed out that he had several tattoos.”
Mr Burton told the court the total quantity of cocaine recovered from Whyte had a maximum potential street value of £8,200.
More than £2,500 cash was also recovered.
If drugs are illegal, why are there legal limits for drug-driving?
Sheriff George Way jailed Whyte and also banned him from driving for three years
He said: “A drug debt is acquired and I fully accept pressure is brought to bear on people if they don’t discharge their debt.
“The problem is it is all part of the cycle of people being concerned in the supply of drugs.”
