'King of Bling' who posed with celebs in Dubai while taunting cops jailed after being extradited back to UK

A fugitive dubbed the 'King of Bling' who taunted police by partying in Dubai with celebrities including Anthony Joshua and Gordon Ramsay while on the run has been caught and jailed.

Adam Ali, 30, fled on the first day of his trial in January 2017 when facing ammunition and dangerous driving charges, and was jailed for three years in his absence.

But instead of keeping a low profile, Ali used his Instagram account to taunt the police, posting a string of photos of his lavish lifestyle on the other side of the world.

Ali, from Harlow in Essex, was pictured wearing an expensive watch as he posed with boxing champion Joshua, he snapped himself driving high-end sports cars, and had a photo of himself at a nightclub with chef Ramsay.

He had changed his name by deed poll to flee the UK, but police found out using his Instagram feed that Ali made a trip to the USA under the alias Adam Khalifa in September 2018.

The Met Police and the UK's National Crime Agency worked with Interpol, Dubai police and prosecutors to catch Ali as he flew back to the United Arab Emirates after his US holiday.

He was extradited back to the UK and yesterday was jailed at Southwark crown court. He was given an extra ten months in prison, on top of his original three year sentence, for fleeing the country while on bail.

Ali was originally charged with dangerous driving after being caught behind the wheel of a Porsche Carrera at speeds of up to 180mph, the court heard, and even rested his feet on the dashboard at 100mph.

He was branded "arrogant and narcissistic" at his sentencing hearing, when the judge was told of Ali's Instagram account with more than 60,000 followers.

Detective Sergeant Andy Swindells, of the Westminster Crime Squad, said afterwards it is "satisfying to know that Ali is now where he belongs and will rightly serve time in prison for his crimes."