THIS is the terrifying moment a drug-dealing rugby player crashes his BMW after leading cops on a 140mph chase. Maredudd Francis, 31, is the former captain of the Welsh rugby union team RGC, but now his "ludicrous" driving has put him behind bars. Horrifying footage, taken from the dashcam of a police car, shows Francis flying down the M56. The rugby player makes no attempt to signal as he weaves through traffic nor does he acknowledge any traffic lights.

He then fails to break as a red-pick up truck approaches Junction 10. Francis slams into the truck, sending it skidding across the road. He quickly jumps out of his smoking car and holds his hands up. An officer can be heard saying: "I'll go through a drug wipe with you because you stink of cannabis.". During the chase, officers also noticed him throwing little white packages out of his passenger side window.

They initially spotted the vehicle due to its connection with a drug chain in North Wales. Police tried to bring Francis to a halt by signalling to him but instead he drives on. Afterwards, Francis was arrested for dangerous driving and on suspicion of money laundering. He went to extreme efforts to try and destroy his phone but later admitted that a large quantity of cash wrapped in a rubber band found in the passenger footwell belonged to him.

This led to a full search of his property and officers found 8.6kg worth of cocaine, with a potential street value of over £317,000, with around 380kg of cannabis estimated to be worth up to £3,500. They also found about 1,000 cigarettes, a Rolex watch, Christian Dior shoes and a pair of Versace sunglasses in a suitcase. Francis was sentenced to four years in prison earlier this week at Mold Crown Court.

Prosecuting, Josh Gorst, told the court how Francis reached speeds of 139mph despite heavy traffic. Francis pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine), possession with intent to supply class B drugs (cannabis) and possession of criminal property. Following the sentencing, C AJ Reid said Francis had "blatant disregard" for the safety of other road users as he drove at "frankly ludicrous speeds" - adding it is a "testament to how guilty he was".

He continued: "The evidence we subsequently found in his vehicle after his arrest, paired with considerable lengths Francis went to attempting to destroy one of his phones that we seized from him whilst he was in handcuffs, led our us to believe that we were dealing with serious drug dealing operation. "Our suspicions were proven when our subsequent searches found a myriad of both class A and class B substances in his associated address, along with copious amounts of cash, designer goods and apparatus synonymous with drug supply.".