A Salford drug dealer who pointed a loaded gun at a police officer following a pursuit has been jailed for 14 years.
Jay Conway, 33, aimed a 9mm slide action pistol in the direction of Pc Dan Clayton as he rolled on to the floor when felled by a Taser discharge.
Pc Clayton feared for his life as he took cover behind a parked vehicle as Conway fled the scene in Salford, Greater Manchester, and again brandished his gun as he told a member of the public: “I suggest you f*** off.”
Conway earlier evaded capture from two undercover Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers who saw him hand out packets of drugs to customers in Albert Park, Broughton, on May 20.
He ditched his electric bike after a struggle with one of the officers and was spotted with the firearm in his right hand as he was chased, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Conway, wearing a black balaclava and gloves, then grabbed a pedal cycle as he left the park and Pc Clayton, who was on uniform mobile patrol, took up the pursuit.
Helen Longworth, prosecuting, said: “Pc Clayton heard an officer state over the radio that a male was making off. He was unaware at this point that the defendant had been seen to have a firearm.
“He caught up with the defendant who was still refusing to stop and attempted to take hold of him, which caused him to fall to the ground, at which point what later proved to be a bundle of class A drugs spilled from his hand onto the road.
“Still focused on evading police capture, the defendant got back up and again ran away.
“Pc Clayton – despite numerous warnings for the defendant to ‘stop’ and advising him that he had a Taser which was now drawn – fired the Taser at the defendant as he ran to remount his bike.
“The Taser seemed ineffective as the defendant rolled on the floor with two hands holding the firearm, pointing it directly at the officer and causing him to fear for his life.”
The officer shouted “gun, gun, gun” as he took cover, the prosecutor said, as Conway fled and warned off a council parking enforcement officer who attempted to intervene.
Conway, of Devonshire Street, Salford, dropped the gun on nearby scrubland and inquiries led to his arrest the following day.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to various offences including possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and the assault of an emergency worker.
In a victim personal statement, Pc Clayton said: “I could see the barrel pointing right at me and he was following my movements as I was trying to get away from him.
“In that moment I was thinking of my pregnant wife and how she might have to bring up our child alone.”
The officer, who attended the sentencing, added: “I genuinely believed I would not make it home to my family and friends.
“It has left a mark that I don’t think will ever fully go away.”
The court heard Conway had numerous previous convictions, including two separate assaults on emergency workers, and was on licence after he received a three-year custodial term in June 2023 for class A drug supplying.
David Bentley, defending, told the court that Conway said he carried a gun for “self protection” after he was attacked with a machete by a group of males in 2015 and suffered multiple fractures in August 2021 when he was mowed down in an attempt to steal his bike.
Conway had struggled with his mental health over a period of time, he said, and a psychiatric report indicated he fulfilled the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Judge Peter Horgan told Conway: “You are a mature man who cannot rely on immaturity in any way to explain your actions.”
He said the firearms offence was “a clear escalation in a pattern of violent offending”.
He ruled he posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public through further offending and said he must serve an extended licence period of two years following his release from custody.
The judge hailed Pc Clayton as a “shining example of police officers in this city who place themselves at grave personal risk every day without a moment’s hesitation in protection of the public”.
Following sentencing, Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods said: “I want to commend the bravery of our officers on duty that day and they will be forwarded for bravery awards.
“I am proud of our officers. They acted courageously to confront an armed man who is now rightly behind bars.
“Across Manchester, our officers confront dangerous people, day in, day out.
“We are prepared to put our ourselves between the public and criminals to keep people safe.”
By Kim Pilling, Press Association
