A DRUG dealer dragged a police officer under his car leaving her so traumatised she had to quit the force.

Undercover police spotted a suspected drug deal in the car park of B&Q in Lightship Way, Colchester, and followed the Mercedes and called for back up.

As the car driven by Joshua Murray stopped at a red light in Barrack Street, Colchester, it was blocked in by four other police vehicles.

As officers approached, the Mercedes door was opened and Murray reversed.

One police officers was knocked down while another was dragged along backwards and narrowly avoided getting trapped under the wheels. Her ordeal has led to her leaving policing.

Murray, 26, then ran the red light driving on the wrong side of the road and turned left into Wimpole Road.

As he travelled into Bourne Road he was overtaking moving cars and failed to stop at the junction of Mersea Road.

Murray then hit speeds of up to 60mph and failed to stop at a series of roundabouts.

Police eventually caught up with him.

A search of the car found dozens of wraps of crack cocaine and heroin and nearly £2,000 in cash.

Murray, of Clifton Road, London, admitted possession with intent to supply class A drugs and dangerous driving.

Simon Smith, mitigating at Chelmsford Crown Court, said Murray was not used to the automatic car, reversed back further than he had planned and had no idea he had hit anyone.

He said Murray has not been in trouble since the incident three years ago and had started dealing to get money for his daughter.

“Since then he has set up a takeaway food delivery service and has given discounts to NHS workers during the coronavirus outbreak,” he said.

Judge Patricia Lynch QC jailed him for four years and banned him from driving for a further year.

“Drug dealing does not just have one victim, but many, many victims,” she said.

“Putting class A drugs on the streets leads to crime, misery and trauma for many people.

“Your driving injured two police officers and one of them has had to leave the force because of it.”

The drugs and the money will be forfeited.