Members of a drugs gang have been sentenced to a combined total of over 26 years after they supplied a Derbyshire town with cocaine. Gang member Justin Woodham from Sutton-in-Ashfield was jailed for 10 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
The 37 year old of Blackmires Way appeared at Derby Crown Court alongside other members of the gang. The court heard how the conspiracy saw up to 4.3kg of cocaine drug go through the group.
Derbyshire Live reports the conspiracy ran between May 2018 and July 2020. Adam Betts, with no criminal record, only became involved in the operation run by his former schoolmate Thomas Carlisle because he was in debt.
Read more: Police make another arrest in Radford murder investigation
And Georgia Vincent agreed to play her role for a part of the time the conspiracy ran as she was, at the time, in a relationship with the ringleader. Police executed a series of warrants across Shirebrook on Tuesday July 7, 2020, as part of an operation to tackle the supply of illegal substances in the town.
Jailing Betts, 33, of Sherwood Drive, Shirebrook, for eight years, Judge Nirmal Shant QC said: "It is right to say that Mr Carlisle was at the heart of this conspiracy but it is also right to say you were involved in all aspects of this class A drugs supply enterprise.
"You only have to look at the text messages to see how you were collecting money and supplying customers. You were sufficiently trusted to to collect large sums of money and it is quite plain you played a significant role and that you had some expectation of financial advantage."
Vincent, 23, of The Woodlands, Langwith, held her head in her hands when the same judge, at an earlier hearing this week, sent her to prison for four years. The judge said: "What is evident is that this was a prolific organisation selling cocaine in the area.
"You are now 23 and I am quite satisfied from the evidence you became involved because of your (then) relationship with Mr Carlisle and because you had affection for him. But you were a willing participant and therefore this is a case where it can be rightly said you had a good idea of the level and scale of the operation."
Both Betts and Vincent pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs . She also admitted a second charge of concealing and converting criminal property - namely almost £25,000 in cash.
Sean Fritchley, for Betts, said his client was "not the brains" behind the conspiracy, has no previous convictions of any kind and knew Carlisle as they were former school friends.
He said: "He knows he's going to jail, that is very frightening for him and he has broken down several times already. He was working for Mr Carlisle and at the time was under his direction. He did not have a bank account, still has no bank account and he was in debt. He was working for someone else."
And Christopher Eckersley, for Vincent, said his client is a carer for her mother. Adrian Mohammed, 34, of Queensway, Pilsley, was sent to prison for four-and-a-half years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and for the supply of cocaine to run concurrently. Carlisle, 30, of Church Drive, Shirebrook, is scheduled to be sentenced for his role in heading up the conspiracy next week.
READ NEXT:
