A privately educated drug dealer threw away thousands of pounds in cash as he ran away after driving his car at an officer during a police chase.

The High Court in Glasgow heard 30-year-old Raymond Hussain threw £1880 against a wall as he fled down Station Road in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, with police in pursuit.

Minutes later, he disposed of another £700 in £20 notes by lobbing them over a wall. An unidentified male who was with Hussain discarded £600 as he ran off.

Hussain, a former pupil of Belmont House School in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, was jailed for six years on Wednesday after he admitted being involved in the supply of cannabis resin and clephedrone, as well as dangerous driving.

He was originally charged with attempting to murder Constable David McGuire, by driving his car at him but his plea of not guilty to that charge was accepted and he admitted the lesser charge of assault by driving a car towards him. Judge Bill Dunlop QC ordered the car Hussain was driving to be forfeited.

Advocate depute Geoff Forbes, prosecuting, said: "The accused was seen by police at 8.28pm at the car park at Lomond Gate Service Station, Dumbarton, in conversation with a motorcyclist. When they saw the police car both vehicles left the car park."

The court heard police signalled for Hussain, who was driving a Renault Megane Sport, to stop. He instead sped off and, with police in pursuit, the learner driver performed a number of dangerous overtaking and undertaking manoeuvres at high speed.

Police blocked in Hussain's vehicle on Station Road and approached him on foot. He accelerated and mounted the pavement, with Mr McGuire having to move out of the way to avoid being struck.

Seconds later, Hussain collided with a lamppost and was arrested. Police who searched the car found 2kg of cannabis resin with a maximum street value of £5700 and clephedrone with a potential value of between £15,000 and £20,000.

A further £2710 in cash was also found in the passenger footwell. The offences were committed on September 29, 2015.

Solicitor advocate Liam O'Donnell, defending, said: "The accused made a bad situation worse by trying to evade the police.

"He accepts he was concerned in the supply of drugs but says he was working for someone else. He was privately educated and worked in a legal office in England for 18 months.

"He realises now that he has spent far too much of his life in jail."