Drug dealer Rizwan Attaullah jailed for Wakefield crash death

Rizwan Attaullah, 30, pleaded guilty to a number of offences at Leeds Crown Court

A drug dealer who tried to hide bags of heroin as his friend lay dying after a car crash has been jailed.

Rizwan Attaullah, 30, drove down a residential street in Wakefield at 65mph, hit a parked car and span into the path of an oncoming tractor.

Leeds Crown Court heard he tried to hide 24 bags of heroin and a phone before front-seat passenger Ali Ahmed, 21, was declared dead at the scene.

Attaullah was given 11 and a half years over the death and other offences.

The court heard the attempt to hide the items after the crash on 9 September 2018 was to cover up evidence of his drug dealing.

In a victim statement, Mr Ahmed's elder sister said that Attaullah had shown "no remorse, no guilt, no humanity" over her brother's death and that the family could never forgive him.

"He was a kind and gentle soul who is missed by many," she said.

"He's left a big hole in all our lives, I miss him every day. He is always in my thoughts and I struggle driving past the road he never made it out of."

'Panic attacks'

Attaullah, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and possession of heroin with intent to supply at a previous hearing.

He also pleaded guilty on Tuesday to separate charges of controlling and coercive behaviour and inflicting grievous bodily harm on a former partner who he beat up and burnt with a cannabis cigarette.

While in jail he repeatedly called the victim to try and get her to drop the case, leading to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, for which he was also sentenced.

The woman told the court that as well as scars and a broken cheek bone, Attaullah's attacks had left her suffering from "anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia".