Kingston Upon Hull Crown Court Sentencing Results

Josh Cooling was involved in the supply of class B controlled drugs as part of a larger organised crime group operating in Scunthorpe and Grimsby from January 2023. The group also committed vehicle thefts and aggravated burglaries targeting cannabis grows with violence, threats, and disguises. They used dedicated drug lines in divided areas, generating £1,000,000 in four months. Arrested during operation on 23 May 2023; case built on phone data and Snapchat intelligence.

Michael Lowther, as part of an eight-member crime group, supplied class B drugs and executed aggravated burglaries in Scunthorpe and Grimsby areas starting January 2023. Activities included vehicle thefts, targeting cannabis grows with baseball bats, violence, and fake police raids using thermal devices. They ran area-specific drug lines, making £1,000,000 in four months. Arrested 23 May 2023; prosecution based on extensive phone and Snapchat analysis.

Liam Pollock participated in an organised crime network supplying class B drugs and conducting aggravated burglaries in Scunthorpe and Grimsby. The group stole vehicles, burgled properties, targeted rival cannabis grows with violence and disguises as police, and used thermal devices to locate grows. They controlled drug lines in Town, Ashby, and Westcliff areas, earning £1,000,000 over four months. Arrested on 23 May 2023; evidence from phone data and Snapchat.

Tyler Gallagher was a key member of an organised crime group supplying class A and class B drugs and committing aggravated burglaries across Grimsby and Scunthorpe. The group targeted cannabis cultivation sites using thermal imaging, baseball bats, threats, and assaults, sometimes posing as police. They operated dedicated drug lines in divided areas of Scunthorpe, generating £1,000,000 in four months. Evidence uncovered via Snapchat messages, videos, and phone data from seized mobile.

Eris Gjeci was involved in supplying cocaine between July 10 and 15, 2023. Police searched his home in Hessle Road, west Hull, on unrelated matters and found drugs, drug equipment, weapons, and four mobile phones. One phone contained drug-related messages indicating he was selling directly to users under direction from two others, receiving a wage. He was arrested and provided security numbers for two phones.

Richard Batty, 38, of Church Lane, Withernwick, East Yorkshire, was part of an organised crime group that used Encrochat to distribute an estimated £4.1 million worth of cocaine into Hull and surrounding areas between April and August 2020. He received drugs from Robert Gervis and was involved in a deal where he refused cocaine due to quality. Following his arrest in August 2020, a 10-tonne hydraulic press used for pressing cocaine was recovered from his address.

Danielle Stafford engaged in drug dealing activities between October 2017 and May 2020, supplying heroin, crack cocaine, and cannabis. She was caught on May 12, 2020, while speeding in a silver Audi, where police discovered cannabis on her person and in her vehicle. A search of her home revealed additional drugs worth £33,600, including 270 wraps of crack cocaine and 205 wraps of heroin, along with £26,917 in cash and luxury items such as Louis Vuitton handbags and watches. She used profits to buy a second property and maintain a lavish lifestyle, denying knowledge of some items but admitting to the offences.

Barry Weadock was involved in drug dealing. Police executed a warrant at a property on Hessle Road in September, where they discovered a large quantity of Class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, along with more than £3,000 in cash and numerous mobile phones. The drugs were believed to be destined for several parts of Hull.

Ryan Miller was involved in drug dealing. Police executed a warrant at a property on Hessle Road in September, where they discovered a large quantity of Class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, along with more than £3,000 in cash and numerous mobile phones. The drugs were believed to be destined for several parts of Hull.

Andrew Fox, aged 39, was part of an organised crime group operating a county lines drug network in Grimsby from West Yorkshire between 4 January and 15 January 2020. The group expanded their drug operation into Grimsby, taking over a property in the town. Officers seized Class A drugs during the investigation launched in January 2020.

Jason Gladding, aged 34, was part of an organised crime group operating a county lines drug network in Grimsby from West Yorkshire between 4 January and 15 January 2020. The group expanded their drug operation into Grimsby, taking over a property in the town. Officers seized Class A drugs during the investigation launched in January 2020.

Hazrat Shah, aged 37, was part of an organised crime group operating a county lines drug network in Grimsby from West Yorkshire between 4 January and 15 January 2020. The group expanded their drug operation into Grimsby, taking over a property in the town. Officers seized Class A drugs during the investigation launched in January 2020.

Bailey Clark, 21, of Newland Avenue, west Hull, admitted possessing 130g of cocaine and a quantity of ketamine with intent to supply on March 14, along with cannabis and two Pregabalin tablets. The whole pack weighed about 1kg, mostly ketamine. He was arrested following an altercation and searched. Clark had been homeless at age 18, sleeping on Hull streets, approached by drug dealers offered cannabis, then forced to deal drugs to pay off debt. In lead-up to arrest, assaulted with fingers broken and threats made to hurt his family.

On October 24, officers searched a Brigg shop linked to associates of Dale's girlfriend and found a metal box containing four 1kg blocks of cocaine, four smaller blocks of cocaine, and 391 pink Ecstasy tablets. Dale's fingerprint was on a plastic bag wrapping one cocaine block. A video showed a hand with tattoos matching Dale's, including 'Ashley' on his right hand, holding a block of cocaine. £10,325 cash was found concealed behind a fireplace at a linked property, along with snapbags and scales. Dale was arrested with a suitcase ready for Stansted Airport and later attempted to fraudulently obtain a replacement passport after his original was seized, breaching bail. Additional £1,180 cash found at his home.

Cocaine addict possessing cocaine with intent to supply, found with £3,600 cash claimed from selling business. Tried to escape police by climbing over garage wall into dead-end street. Used astronomical amounts of cocaine leading to money problems.

On September 9, police stopped a car in Beverley Road, Hull, at about 11am and found Harvey Fox, who gave a false name 'Harvey Smith' but was identified via social media on his phone. He was wanted on a warrant and admitted having Class A drugs. A search revealed 31.6g of cocaine (92% purity) in his trouser pocket, worth £2,260, plus two small rocks (one 83% purity, worth £800) and £225 cash. A home search found drugs equipment, a sword on a settee, and a knuckleduster in a shoe box under a coffee table. Fox claimed the weapons were legal to possess.

Gemma Phoenix, 44, of Hayton Avenue, Pocklington, stole about £693,965 from the taxi firm she worked for between April 2023 and August 2024 by paying staff pension contributions into her own bank account, disguising transactions under references such as 'Pension' and 'HMRC'. She offered money to friends, claiming she had won it through gambling.

Declan Nowell, 32, from Scunthorpe, was the sole director of Investing4you Limited, which claimed to trade on foreign exchange markets. The company was set up in 2020, but by 2021 police had begun an investigation after reports from the public that they could not withdraw funds. Nowell defrauded around 600 investors out of £9 million in a Ponzi-type scheme, using the proceeds to purchase a McLaren car and live a lavish lifestyle, giving the false impression of trading success.

Innocenzo Bonaccorso was a trusted deputy within the organised crime group and was responsible for the transportation, storage and distribution of drugs. He also had a managerial role, with responsibility for cutting drugs and arranging onward supply to wholesale drug dealers. He was detained after leaving an address in Hull and was found in possession of a significant quantity of Class A drugs.

Klaudian Liberko acted as storage manager at a safe house used by the organised crime group. He admitted permitting premises to be used for the supply of controlled drugs.