Chester Crown Court Sentencing Results

Charlie Joyce was involved in the supply of cocaine and ketamine in the Winsford area. An investigation began in early 2025 when officers became aware of a mobile telephone number being used to sell the drugs. CCTV footage from a shop showed Joyce purchasing a top-up card for the device. A warrant was carried out at his home on Friday 27 June 2025, where he was arrested and two mobile phones, cash, £70 worth of ketamine and £755 worth of cocaine packaged for onward sale were recovered. He made no comment in interview and later pleaded guilty to the drugs offences.

Ciaran Lavelle assisted in controlling a drugs line and street dealers, and was an active street-level supplier of cocaine and ketamine in Chester and North Wales. A bag containing drugs, phones and paraphernalia was found hidden in a bush within metres of his home, and drugs packaging was forensically linked to him.

Georgia Palin acted as a street-level supplier for an organised crime group supplying cocaine and ketamine in Chester and North Wales. Her name was found in a notebook linked to the operation, which recorded numerous daily sales by street-level runners.

Jason Bascombe acted as a regular controller of the graft phone number for a drugs line supplying cocaine and ketamine in Chester and North Wales. He was forensically linked to drugs packaging recovered by police.

Lewis Stenhouse controlled a drugs supply line advertising cocaine and ketamine via text messages and Snapchat, with drop-offs anywhere in the CH postcode areas of Cheshire and North Wales. The operation ran between June 2024 and October 2025. He controlled others employed to supply drugs to users in Chester and North Wales. Forensic evidence, including a blood stain on a dealer list, linked him to drugs packaging.

Jack Moore used a Snapchat account to advertise and sell cannabis on a commercial scale across Chester. Cheshire Police began investigating in January 2026 after becoming aware of the account, which was used daily to advertise cannabis. Moore was linked to the account and was assisted by another man. Both were initially arrested in March, but after they were released on bail, new Snapchat accounts appeared advertising bulk quantities of cannabis. Moore was arrested again when he attended Blacon police station, and searches of an address and vehicles connected to him uncovered a vacuum-packing machine, a large quantity of cannabis and other drug-related paraphernalia.

Aaron Bradley admitted involvement in the commercial supply of cocaine. Police were called to a hotel in Congleton on 29 May after reports of a disturbance, where Bradley and a woman were found barricaded inside a room. He was found in possession of £740 cash, and officers recovered drug-related materials including mobile phones, snap bags and digital scales. A search at his home uncovered further drug-related materials and designer goods. After being released on bail, he was arrested again in August for breaching a community order, and further mobile phones and drug-related materials were found. Messages on seized phones showed he was actively involved in the commercial supply of cocaine.

Kieron Dodd assisted another man in operating a Snapchat account used to advertise and sell cannabis on a commercial scale across Chester. The investigation began in January 2026 after Cheshire Police became aware of the account. Dodd was initially arrested in March as part of the investigation. After the pair were released on bail, new Snapchat accounts appeared advertising bulk quantities of cannabis, and officers continued gathering evidence against him. He was convicted of being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

David Clarke pleaded guilty to theft by an employee in Winsford.

On Friday 24th April, plain-clothed officers on patrol in Northwich town centre spotted Jake Dickens dealing drugs to another man. He ran off, leading officers on a foot chase, and was found hiding in changing rooms at a shop, where he was arrested in possession of almost £450 cash. Over £1,000 worth of illegal drugs and a mobile phone he dumped during the chase were recovered. While on bail, further mobile phone evidence showed he continued dealing drugs locally, and he was arrested again and charged.

Matthew Smith pleaded guilty to theft by an employee in Winsford.

Joshua Lambert was arrested following a police vehicle stop check in Winsford on August 20, 2024. He was charged with being concerned in the supply of 2C-B, a synthetic stimulant and hallucinogenic drug with effects similar to LSD, and with possessing criminal cash. He initially denied the charges but changed his plea to guilty ahead of trial.

Cameron Law pleaded guilty to drug-driving and possession of ketamine in multiple locations.

On 26 March 2026, police were called to the Crewe area following reports of a man in possession of a knife. Officers found Daniel Fletcher in the street wearing no top and no shoes, and he was seen discarding a kitchen knife into bushes. The knife was recovered, and at his address officers found a 5oz ball of cocaine estimated to be worth between £10,500 and £17,500, along with a mobile phone containing evidence of drug supply.

On 23 September 2023, Matthew DuPlessis and his girlfriend returned from a day in Blackpool and were heard arguing. In the early hours they drove around the Congleton area in his van while continuing to argue. His girlfriend left the moving van on Padgbury Lane and sustained fatal injuries. DuPlessis falsely told witnesses and emergency services that she had been struck by a dark vehicle in a hit-and-run while he had his back turned. A forensic investigation contradicted his account, and he later admitted she had opened the passenger door and had repeatedly threatened to jump out. He pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while unfit through drugs and perverting the course of justice.

Officers searched Clay Jefford's Fleet home in July 2025 and found cannabis, cocaine, £1,660 in cash and diaries containing daily entries relating to suspected drug deals. A search of his car found a black sock containing eight clear bags filled with a white substance believed to be cocaine. He was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

Police analysis suggested Luke Lawrence-Hunte was heavily involved in street dealing and was believed to be the primary controller of a drugs supply line. Officers searched his Camberley home in February 2025 and found a large zombie-style knife, more than £1,225 in cash, quantities of ketamine and cocaine in grip-seal bags, two mobile phones, labels depicting cannabis and a set of scales containing drug residues. He had injured himself with his own weapon during the search. Messages on a seized phone led officers to further suspects.

Sabrin Gurung was identified after investigators found a contact saved as 'Subs' on devices belonging to two other defendants. Police said Gurung was another seller operating under the primary controller in the drug supply chain.

In November 2025, Border Force officers intercepted a parcel from the United States containing a one-litre canister of cannabis extract liquid destined for an address in Crewe. Police attended the address in April 2026 and found Celinski had turned his bedroom into a commercial-level cannabis distribution hub, with around 230 packets of cannabis dust, resin and liquid, 100 packets of cannabis edibles, illicit vapes, chemical equipment for producing cannabis gummies and label printers. The drugs were valued at approximately £27,100, and further packages were found prepared for delivery across the UK, Spain and Poland.

Brian Byrne, of Bradshaw Drive in Congleton, was involved in the supply of class A drugs (cocaine) in the Congleton area. In February, officers from Congleton Proactive CID identified a mobile phone number used to sell drugs, which was linked to Byrne and Sarah Teszke. A warrant was executed at their home on 19th March, recovering cocaine valued at £1,260, along with cash, mobile phones, and other drugs paraphernalia. Byrne was arrested at the address and later charged.

Sarah Teszke, of Bradshaw Drive in Congleton, was involved with Brian Byrne in the supply of class A drugs (cocaine). A mobile phone number used for drug sales in Congleton was linked to them, and a warrant on 19th March at their home uncovered cocaine worth £1,260, cash, and phones. Teszke was arrested and admitted being concerned in the supply.

Abigail Wright, 38, of Wesley Close in Nantwich, pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). An investigation found she was controlling a 'graft phone' used by a county lines gang to sell drugs in Nantwich, sending bulk text messages daily. She was arrested near her home on 3 March 2026, and a search of her address uncovered approximately 20 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine worth around £200, along with the phone. Hundreds of messages advertising drug sales were found on the device.

On 17 July 2024, plain-clothes police officers observed Farrell Armstrong sitting on a park bench in Loushers Lane Park, Warrington. A man emerged from nearby bushes, exchanged items with Armstrong, and then disappeared back into the bushes. Armstrong, who was smoking cannabis, was searched; officers found cannabis in snap-bags, £465.48 in cash, and a smartphone receiving multiple messages. A subsequent search of his home uncovered white powders, purple pills, white crystallised balls, empty snap-bags, another mobile phone, and electronic scales. Forensic testing confirmed the substances included MDMA, ketamine, psilocin, and psilocybin (magic mushrooms), with a combined street value of £2,440 to £3,515. Data recovered from the phone implicated Armstrong in drug supply.

On 24 August 2024, George Redshaw attempted to enter Creamfields Music Festival in Cheshire. He was selected by a drugs dog and taken to a search tent, where he admitted possessing 18 packets of cocaine hidden inside an insect zapper. During questioning he claimed the drugs were for personal use, but after being charged he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.