A man has been jailed for four years for county line drug dealing in Carlisle.
Steven Willoughby, 31, of no fixed address, was sentenced at the city’s crown court for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine.
At a hearing on November 21, Ross Blacklock, 25, of Durranhill Road, Carlisle was sentenced to three years and three months for:
- Possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A – ceroin
- Possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A – crack cocaine
- Concerned in the supply of heroin
- Concerned in the supply of crack cocaine
He was also sentenced for separate offences of theft, ABH, criminal damage nad three counts of assault on an emergency worker.
Willoughby pleaded guilty to the offences.
Intelligence identified that a mobile number used in Merseyside named the Bentley line was supply cocaine and heroin in the Botcherby area of Carlisle.
On January 18, police conducting proactive patrols in the area of St Aidan’s in relation to the Bentley line witnessed two men on a push bike in the area of South Henry Street then returning to Howe Street and Close Street.
Officers continued their patrols and seen the males entering a property on Howe Street, one of the men was then seen travelling along Greystone Road, Carlisle to a newsagent.
Officers entered the newsagents and detained the male who was identified as Ross Blacklock and carried out a stop search where 17 wraps of brown powder, 12 warps of white powder and mobile phone were located.
The second man wasn’t located.
However, on January 19, while off duty in Carlisle city centre, the officer saw the second man, who he recognised from patrols the previous day.
Officers attended and detained the man, identified as Steven Willoughby.
He was search and officers located a mobile phone with a background of two local nominals. He was arrested and officer seized a wrap of cannabis and over £100 in cash.
The phone was examined, and messages were discovered showing Willoughby being involved in the supply of class A drugs and contained the number 047 which was identified as in contact with the Bentley line.
Numerous messages were found offering the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, with bulk messages sent to a large number of contacts.
Officers also examined Blacklock’s phone which also showed a number of messages showing his involvement in the supply of class A drugs.
The data showed contact between Blacklock and Willoughby and with the Bentley line number.
A number of messages were also found from the Bentley line directing Blacklock to attend addresses in Carlisle which indicated him being directed by Willoughby.
Investigating the case, Detective Constable James Bowness said: “Thanks to the proactive patrols following intelligence on the Bentley line operating in Botcherby officers were able to arrest Blacklock and Willoughby.
“Searches found drugs and the examination of mobile phones located showed their involvement in the Bentley line supplying class A drugs in Carlisle.
“We contempt for county lines drugs criminals exploiting and targeting our communities and we will do everything in our power to put an end to these gangs operating in Cumbria.”
