Drug dealer bit and punched police after being caught with cocaine stashed in underwear in Northampton town centre

A 32-year-old drug dealer who bit and punched two Northampton police officers as they tried to arrest him in Northampton town centre has been jailed.

Aaron Benjamin Lerigo was jailed for three years, nine months after pleading guilty to Class A drugs offences and two assaults.

Lerigo, previously of Long Buckby, was stopped in Abington Square in a hired Citroen C5 in August last year.

As officers attempted to detain him in order to search the car, Lerigo tried to slam the car door shut and escape.

Northampton Crown Court heard how he bit one police officer before punching another one in the face during the struggle .

Lerigo was arrested and a search of the car turned up a large quantity of cocaine, deal bags, and more than £2,000 in cash.

A further 13 bags each containing a gram of cocaine ready to deal were found in his underwear during a search in custody.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: “Aaron Lerigo knew he had been caught red-handed when he got stopped that evening in August but instead of accepting his fate, he lashed out at two police officers who were simply doing their jobs.

“No police officer comes to work to be assaulted and it will never be seen as ‘part of the job’.

"This is why we take a zero-tolerance approach and will always pursue criminal action when someone attacks our colleagues.

“Hopefully this sends a message to other drug dealers: We are watching you and whether it be today, next week, or next month, we will catch you and we will bring you to justice.”