Taunton Crown Court Sentencing Results

Jessica Higgs was driving a blue Mercedes Citan van on the A303 near West Camel on May 15, 2023, when it drifted across the carriageway, colliding with a red Fiat 500 carrying two victims, both 69. One victim died at the scene and the other the following day. Tests showed she had benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite) in her blood exceeding the legal limit.

On November 6, 2024, police attended Ryan Horrill's address in Taunton, where they discovered 1.98 kilograms of cannabis and over £21,000 in cash in his house and a bin store outside. He was arrested and answered 'no comment' during his police interview. Horrill has a considerable criminal record and was previously given a suspended sentence for a similar offence but continued his activities.

Sapphire Dennis, 30, of Ferndown, was arrested on July 17, 2023 at Matthew Appleyard’s home in Milborne Port. Officers seized 210g of cocaine worth £17,230 and over £42,500 in criminal property. She was sentenced after dealing cocaine for more than two years.

Matthew Appleyard, 31, of Milborne Port, was arrested on July 17, 2023 at his home in Milborne Port. Officers seized 210g of cocaine worth £17,230 and over £42,500 in criminal property including vehicles. Phone messages showed involvement in cocaine supply estimated at five times that value. He was sentenced for dealing cocaine for more than two years.

Wesley Wells-Burr, 64 of North Perrott, was involved in a drugs ring supplying and producing cannabis in and around Chard. Police enquiries began in May 2017 during a search for a missing person where they encountered Jay Macquarrie with a significant amount of cannabis. Forensics linked to other men, including Wells-Burr. A search of an address owned by Wells-Burr and Jeanette Pezare in Chard uncovered evidence. Two sites in Churchstanton were also searched, seizing thousands of pounds’ worth of cannabis, cash, and a firearm.

Patrick Shelley was stopped by police during targeted patrols in Dunster amid the Covid lockdown, where officers found drugs, a lock knife, and a knuckleduster in a vehicle. Further enquiries revealed more drugs at his associate's home, with a total seizure including cocaine worth over £16,500 and cannabis worth more than £9,500.

Jared Tappin was stopped by police in a vehicle in Dunster with Patrick Shelley, where officers discovered drugs, a lock knife, and a knuckleduster. Further investigations led to the seizure of additional drugs at his home in Dulverton, including cocaine worth over £16,500 and cannabis worth more than £9,500.

Kevin Sheppard, 50, of Greenwich, was part of a group that brought approximately 5kg of class A drugs from London to supply in Taunton, Bridgwater and Yeovil between August 2020 and February 2021 via county lines. The operation was worth hundreds of thousands of pounds and targeted by Avon and Somerset Police and Metropolitan Police.

Kyeron Silk, 28, of London, participated in bringing approximately 5kg of class A drugs from London for supply in Taunton, Bridgwater and Yeovil from August 2020 to February 2021. The joint police operation disrupted a network worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Sonny Sheppard, 31, of London, was part of a group involved in a county lines operation bringing approximately 5kg of class A drugs from London to supply in Taunton, Bridgwater and Yeovil between August 2020 and February 2021. The drugs trade was worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. The convictions followed a joint operation between Avon and Somerset Police and the Metropolitan Police.

Khalid Mirghani, of Ealing, was concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin as part of a County Lines operation which supplied over 1.6kg of class A drugs in Somerset last year. The drugs had a street value of around £160,000. The charges followed a joint investigation by Avon and Somerset Police and the Metropolitan Police.

Kane Sinclair, 23, from London, was convicted of being involved in the supply of cocaine and heroin as part of a county lines operation bringing class A drugs into Bridgwater. The criminal activity spanned a six-month period between May and October 2020. He was arrested following a joint operation between Avon and Somerset Police and the Met Police.

Wright was arrested in October 2018 on the A303 in Somerset travelling from London towards Yeovil, after a significant quantity of heroin and crack were recovered from his car. Police identified Wright as working for a County Lines syndicate known as the NOVA line. He is believed to have been operating in Yeovil between April and October 2018, during which time he was making regular trips from London to supply heroin and cocaine.

Kisella Hillman, 28, from London, abused her position as a carer for an 85-year-old victim who suffers from Alzheimer’s. She stole a total of £51,500 from the victim, who lived near Frome, between November and December 2013. Following a six-day trial at Taunton Crown Court, she was convicted of three counts of theft.

Kwesi Williams of Wandsworth, London was involved in 'county lines' drug supply to Bridgwater, Somerset. He admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis in April and May 2021. Police seized crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, mobile phones, cash and cutting agents at two London addresses linked to him during a joint operation between the Metropolitan Police and Avon & Somerset Police.

Kyle Kennedy, 21, of Ansford, was arrested in Yeovil on 6 March 2023. He was found to be in possession of approximately 2,000 ecstasy (MDMA) tablets, ketamine, LSD and cocaine, which had a collective estimated worth of £50,500. Additionally, he was found to be in possession of £19,675 in cash.

Seven members of a county lines drug gang transported Class A drugs including heroin and crack cocaine from the West Midlands and sold them on the streets of Bridgwater. Activities disrupted by police after public reports of open drug sales. Officers identified transaction locations, stopped suspicious individuals, traced phone lines used to coordinate sales. Nine warrants executed at addresses in Bridgwater, Wolverhampton and London led to arrests of four men and three women, recovery of significant sums of Class A drugs, cash, weapons, ammunition and a stab vest.

Jeffery Hughes, 45, of Bridgwater, was involved in the theft and dishonest handling of property including quad bikes, trailers, a 4x4 vehicle and a motorhome with a combined value of circa £45,000. The items were taken from farms across west Somerset during the first half of 2020.

Seven members of a county lines drug gang transported Class A drugs including heroin and crack cocaine from the West Midlands and sold them on the streets of Bridgwater. Activities disrupted by police after public reports of open drug sales. Officers identified transaction locations, stopped suspicious individuals, traced phone lines used to coordinate sales. Nine warrants executed at addresses in Bridgwater, Wolverhampton and London led to arrests of four men and three women, recovery of significant sums of Class A drugs, cash, weapons, ammunition and a stab vest.

Gareth Hayward, 19, of Bridgwater, was involved in the theft and dishonest handling of property including quad bikes, trailers, a 4x4 vehicle and a motorhome with a combined value of circa £45,000. The items were taken from farms across west Somerset during the first half of 2020.

Gary Coombes, 58, traded as Bridgwater Heating and repeatedly targeted an elderly couple at their Bridgwater home. He defrauded them of £13,000 by grossly overcharging for boiler service and maintenance work as well as general home maintenance. The fraud was uncovered when the victim’s daughter became suspicious and reported him to Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service.

Bartosz Gorczyca, 21, of Yeovil, was arrested in Yeovil on 6 March 2023. He was in possession of 155 ecstasy (MDMA) tablets, ketamine and cocaine, which was estimated to be worth approximately £1,560 to £1,880 in total.

Debbie Hughes committed two frauds by dishonestly claiming the sums charged for work were reasonable. She obtained £43,550 in the first fraud between November 2023 and January 2025, and £9,800 in the second fraud between June and September 2024. She also had possession of £32,510 cash from the proceeds of crime in November 2024.