Plymouth-Liverpool drug conspiracy sentenced to nearly 100 years

Eight more people who supplied Class-A drugs to Plymouth have been sentenced today.

The gang who organised the transport of tens of thousands of pounds of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine from Liverpool were arrested as part of an investigation codenamed operation Rio by Devon and Cornwall Police.

Overall thirteen people have been convicted as part of the £1million a year operation led by Plymouth based antiques dealer Wayne Harle-Stephens, 56.

The investigation by Devon and Cornwall’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation Team began in 2011 after reports of violence against, sometimes sexual, against women working as prostitutes and other vulnerable women in the city from the gang.

There were also reports of the gang using violence and intimidation in order to establish themselves as the leading gang in Plymouth.

Det Insp Neil Blackhurst, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "At three o'clock in the morning, armed with baseball bats and disguised by balaclavas, they would kick down the doors of people who owed them money. Anyone who was not towing the line was affected, including rival drugs dealers in Plymouth."

The first breakthrough came when Alison Bates, 43, from Liverpool was stopped for dangerous driving on the way to Plymouth in April 2011 and was discovered to have 100g of crack cocaine. It was later discovered she had made 46 trips in the 11 months before her arrest.

The arrest gave intelligence which led to several more gang members including Carl Barlow, 22, Joseph Pines, 21 and Patrick Mooney, 22 who were dealing in Plymouth’s streets. The arrest of these men however had a minimal affect on the gang’s dealings with several other men being used to sell their drugs.

The gang’s operation was ran like a fast food delivery where addicts would phone a mobile number and place an order with a man with James Griffin, 19 who was known as ‘matey’. He would then give instructions and dispatch a street dealer to deliver the drugs.

Also arrested on the intelligence from the arrest of Bates was John Cavanaugh, 50, a Taxi Driver from Plymouth. Cavanaugh was tailed by Police to the outskirts of a Liverpool industrial estate where he met with Stephen Kearns, 30, considered to be head of the Liverpool side of the gang.

The case was brought to its conclusion when Police arrested Lee Ellis, 54, a drugs ‘courier’ like Bates. When stopped his car was found to have 3kg of cocaine, 1,400 wraps of crack cocaine and 255 wraps of heroin, estimated to be worth £175,000, in a hidden compartment of the car.

The Police traced the car to its owner Harle-Stephens who was raided and found have £1,000 of cannabis in his home. Harle-Stephens was proven to be the organiser of the Plymouth branch of the gang.

Harle-Stephens was sentenced earlier this year and was handed a sentence of 14 years and nine months at Plymouth Crown Court. When handing sentence Judge Paul Darlow said to Harle-Stephens:  "You played a leading role in directing, organising and selling on a commercial scale.

"The size and nature of this conspiracy was bound to bring significant misery both in spreading addiction or the perpetration of addiction to Class A drugs."

Kearns, a Liverpool based motor trade, was sentenced to 15 years for his role as Liverpool organiser.

Also arrested in the investigation were Liverpool Dealers, Karl Corson, 21, Patrick White and John Ward both 19 and courier Elliot Barlow, 24.

In Today’s hearing at Plymouth Crown Court: Carl Barlow, aged 22, of Savage Road, St Budeaux was jailed for 11 years.

Alison Bates, aged 43, of Mintor Road, Liverpool, was jailed for three years and four months.

Karl Corson, aged 20 and of Tresillian Street, Cattedown, was locked up for four years.

James Griffin, aged 20, of East Lancashire Road, Liverpool, was sentenced to four years and eight months.

Patrick Mooney, aged 22, of Berkshire Drive, Ford, Plymouth, was sentenced to eight year and one month sentence.

Joseph Pines, aged 22, of Archer Place, North Road West, Plymouth, was sentenced for six years and eight months.

John Ward, aged 19, of Embankment Road, Plymouth, was sentenced for three years and four months.

Finally Patrick White, aged 19, and of Wolseley Crescent, Liverpool, was sentenced to four years.

All defendants but Carl Barlow had co-operated and pleaded guilty. Barlow initially denied the charges but was found guilty at trial.

The combined sentence for the gang totals 96 years and 10 months and was considered to be one of the largest drugs organisations that have operated in Plymouth.