Doncaster man whose dogs attacked police jailed for gun and drugs offences

In May 2022, two police officers were sent to reports of a disturbance at a property on West End Lane.

Upon arrival, the PCs were confronted by Leon James, who threatened to get his dogs to bite them.

James tried to flee the property, with one PC in pursuit.

This officer was bitten by James’ two Belgian Malinois dogs on the leg, causing serious injuries that required hospital treatment.

James would later admit in interview that he had ‘attack trained’ the larger of the two dogs.

The officer’s colleague deployed his Taser in an attempt to stop the attack and at this point, James began throwing bricks at the officers.

More officers arrived, arrested James and brought him into custody where he was charged with assaulting an emergency worker and having a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for these offences after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.

This jail term will run concurrently to James’ six-year sentence for drugs and firearm offences, which he also received in court this week.

In July 2022, officers were called to the Rossington area following reports of a suspicious vehicle.

A black Mercedes was parked up with no occupants. When the car was searched, two shotguns were recovered, which had been reported stolen in 2021 from burglaries in Nottinghamshire and Humberside.

James’ DNA was recovered from one of the shotguns.

In August 2022, James was once more arrested after being found in possession of a quantity of drugs, cash and two mobile phones.

When his property was searched, officers recovered a large amount of cannabis, more cash, weighing scales and a box of clear bags.

James, formerly of West End Lane, Doncaster, also pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a shortened shotgun, one count of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs (heroin), one count of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs (cannabis).