Bolton drug dealer made 'threats' to officer in court

Riaz Bax, 50, was brought before Bolton Crown Court this week alongside his 43-year-old brother Mohammed, convicted of a raft of offences.

The older Bax had been caught by police on August 28 2022 after nearly causing a crash while driving a Honda Accord before being stopped on a petrol station forecourt.

Prosecutor Wayne Jackson said: “He was told he was being detained for the purposes of a search.

“His response to that was to run away before he was in fact detained.”

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Jackson told the court that on searching his car, police found cocaine, cannabis and two phones.

Riaz was arrested and brought to Bolton Police Station where he answered “no comment” to the questions put to him before he was released under investigation.

But not long after that on October 17 officers again came across a Honda Accord that was linked to Riaz while on patrol in Bolton.

When they followed him he drove off at speeds of around 40mph.

Mr Jackson said: “He was, as they described it, snaking around corners.”

He said that the officers noticed “a group of young children” nearby at the time, before Riaz abandoned the car and tried to drive away.

But he was arrested after trying to throw away a “bag of powder” and was found with bags of cocaine, £425 in cash and two mobile phones.

He was again questioned at Bolton Police Station, answered “no comment” and was released under investigation.

Police were again on patrol on April 29 last year around the Halliwell Road area at around 50pm when they heard about a suspected drug deal taking place around Chorley Old Road.

On telling a car driver to pull over, they found Riaz's younger brother Mohammed Bax who had been carrying cocaine “a large quantity of cash in notes and coins” and two mobile phones.  

He was taken to Bolton Police Station where he gave no comments to the questions put to him.

But about 50 minutes later officers elsewhere in Halliwell sighted Riaz with a white JD Sports bag.

On tracking him and stopping him in his car, they found the white bag in the boot.

Inside the bag was a black shoe box, containing around 3KG of cocaine, which Mr Jackson said would have been worth between £105,000 and £300,000.

On searching his family home police found drug paraphernalia including a set of scales and “burner phones.”

Riaz, of Kenton Close, Halliwell, eventually pleaded guilty to possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, possession of criminal property and dangerous driving.

His brother Mohammed, of Avenue Street, Halliwell, pleaded guilty to possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.

But Riaz later had contempt of court added to his offences when on April 26 this year he appeared to make a threatening gesture to a police officer during a trial of issue hearing.

Mr Jackson said this was when he was taken from the witness box back to the dock as he was passing a police officer who had earlier given evidence.

He said: “As the defendant passed the officer, he looked the officer directly in the eye and said: ‘he’s getting it, him.’”

Mr Jackson said that Riaz made a gesture to the officer indicating that he was watching him.

Oliver Jarvis, defending Mohammed said that he deserved credit for his guilty plea and told the court that he hoped to work as welder when his time in prison was up.

He pointed out that the younger brother had no previous convictions for drug offences and said he had been driven to crime after getting into debt.

This, Mr Jarvis said, was after he “became obsessed with wining and dining” a new partner.

ALSO READ: Drug deaths rise to record high in Bolton

ALSO READ: New figures show rise in drug treatment deaths in Bolton

ALSO READ: Alcohol, drugs and suicide caused hundreds of deaths

Alistair Reid, defending Riaz, said that he accepted his behaviour at the trial of issue amounted to contempt of court.

He said: “Speaking to the defendant this morning he explained that he (Riaz) was very drained from the experience of giving evidence.”

He added: “This was a foolish, frankly stupid immature reaction.”

Mr Reid said a psychologist had found that the older Bax had “very significant intellectual limitations”

But Mr Reid said that Riaz had since shown real remorse for his actions.

The Honorary Recorder for Bolton Judge Martin Walsh ordered that both Bax brothers be brought back to court on Monday June 24 to learn their fates.