An Abbey Wood drug dealer who hurled brick-sized blocks of cocaine out of a van as he fled police has been jailed.

Michael Butler was driving a Ford Transit van along Alers Road in Dartford when the police tried to approach him.

The 31-year-old drug dealer sped off, throwing the bricks of cocaine out of the van as he drove into the cul-de-sac on West Heath Road.

Butler, of Harrow Manor Way, then fled on foot into the woods where he tried to hide in the undergrowth, but was eventually found by police.

Eight cocaine bricks were found by police and members of the public, each containing just over 1kg of cocaine of 81 per cent purity.

This has an estimated potential street value of between £657,000 and £821,300.

Butler was charged with possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on August 25.

He was sentenced today (September 1) at the same court to eight years in prison.

Detective Constable Kelly Ebdon, from the Met's organised crime command, said: “Butler had not been out of prison long and was actually on licence for a similar offence.

“The sentencing reflects the level of criminality involved and should be seen as a deterrent for others.

“Butler went to great lengths to avoid capture by fleeing from officers and discarding one kilo blocks of cocaine from his vehicle.

“Thankfully these were later recovered by officers and members of the public who assisted police.”