Five members of a serious and organised crime group that trafficked class A drugs into York from Greater Manchester have been jailed for a total of 25 years.
A total of five men and three women from York, Manchester, Oldham were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court yesterday (Thursday) after an 18-month investigation.
Greater Manchester Police worked with their colleagues in North Yorkshire to crack the operation.
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Detectives uncovered how the group referred to the drugs line as the ‘Junior Line’ in the midst of their offending between April and June last year. Vulnerable people, including children, were used to store drugs at ‘cuckooed’ addresses in York.
A ‘considerable amount’ of heroin and crack cocaine was supplied by the offenders to the streets of North Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
Two children were safeguarded with the support of relevant local authorities during the course of the investigation.
Police raid
The investigations came to a head in October 2020 when ten properties in York, Manchester, Oldham and Tameside were raided. Charges soon followed.
North Yorkshire Police’s Detective Inspector Michelle Falkingham, of York CID, said: “The outcome of this case highlights why cross-border working with other forces is vital when it comes to dismantling county lines drug gangs.
“This gang brought violence and misery to our city and it is good to see justice catching up with them.
Detective Constable Chris Brown, of GMP Oldham’s Challenger team, said: “Today’s verdicts bring to an end what has been a wide-ranging and complex investigation into the trafficking of large amounts of drugs between Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire.
“County lines offending is a serious issue that is being tackled across the country between forces and partner agencies to target offenders, take drugs off the streets, and to safeguard victims of exploitation.
“We believe that vulnerable people were preyed upon to facilitate this conspiracy here and we have ensured that children as young as 16, as well as vulnerable adults, have been safeguarded from future exploitation.”
The sentences
Gang leader Jack Smedley, 24, from Heppleton Road, Moston – jailed for 13 years
Daniel Halford, 26, of HMP Forest Bank, was given three years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs
Simon Potter, 49, of Leicester Way, York, was jailed for two years and 10 months
Marc Simpson, 55, of Wilberforce Avenue, York, will spend two years in prison
Georgia Leigh, 23, of Bowling Green Close, Oldham, was also sentenced to four years and two months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs
Nicole Crighton, 22, of Wilson Way, Oldham, was found to be concerned in the supply of class A drugs and was sentenced to two years suspended for two years, including 150 hours unpaid work
Simon Davies, 48, of Higher House Close, Oldham, was given a two-year community order, 150 hours unpaid work and 17 days rehab
Michelle Simpson, 48, of Wilberforce Avenue, York, was given a two-year community order, nine months of rehab and 20 days unpaid work
Stephanie Beard, 27, of Dumfries Avenue, Oldham, a GMP civilian worker in the administration department also pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug and was given a two-year conditional discharge in August 2021
She has remained suspended since September 2020 pending an upcoming misconduct hearing