County lines drug dealers who trafficked teenager sentenced

A group of drug dealers have been sentenced for their parts in trafficking a teenage boy for a county lines operation supplying drugs across both England and Wales. 

The organised crime group arranged for the 14-year-old schoolboy, who was under the care of social services, to act as a runner supplying Class A drugs in Wigan and Rhyl for around three weeks in February 2021. 

Investigators found messages showing that the teenage boy owed them money and then put pressure on him to repay it. 

Today, 27 January at Caernarfon Crown Court each member of the group was sentenced for their part in the crime. 

•    Michael Hill, 27, was sentenced to 7 years and 2 months’ imprisonment.
•    Wesley Hankin, 31, was sentenced to 10 years and 2 months’ imprisonment.   
•    Gareth Mark Jones, 40, was sentenced to 7 years and 4 months’ imprisonment.
•    Joshua Ellerbrook, 20, was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months’ imprisonment.
•    Darren Courtney, 25, was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months’ imprisonment.
•    Amanda Watkinson, 54, was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment.
•    Anthony Buckley-Mellor, 48, was sentenced to 1 year and 10 months’ imprisonment.

Hankin’s number was found to be saved in the victim’s phone as ‘main man’.  At the time Hankin was a serving prisoner at HMP Portland. 

During the investigation police officers were also able to access Snapchat images which showed the teenage victim being exploited. One image of the young victim included the caption ‘bando livin’ – making reference to him staying in an abandoned house or address being used as a ‘trap house’ to store or deal drugs. This address was linked back to Watkinson. 

When Buckley-Mellor was arrested and interviewed he said he had allowed the victim to stay at his home for two days but had been told that the victim was 19 years old. He later admitted that the victim looked about 11 years old. 

Louisa Roberston from the CPS, said: “These individuals worked hand in hand to traffic a 14-year-old schoolboy as part of a major county lines operation. Their actions were driven by greed. 

“The evidence included messages showing the hierarchy of the group and the roles played by each person within the operation. We were also able to present Snapchat evidence as part of the case which clearly showed the exploitation of a teenage boy.  

“This is modern slavery – these individuals exploited a schoolboy as a drugs runner having no consideration for his welfare.

“The CPS recognises the harm caused to communities, families and lives by drug networks using children and young people to carry out their illegal activities. We will always seek to prosecute such offenders where there is the evidence to do so.”