Drug gang thug made firebomb attack threat
ADRUG dealer from Runcorn threatened to firebomb an innocent woman’s house as he sought to recoup a debt from her brother.
Darren Courtney, 21, formerly of Rothesay Close, was sent down for four years at Chester Crown Court on Friday after admitting two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A heroin and crack cocaine, conspiracy to blackmail and a suspended sentence breach.
Courtney’s boss Natalie Hodson, 34, of Critchley Road, Speke, was sentenced to six years for the drugs conspiracy, blackmail and money-laundering; while drug user and ‘trusted driver’ Gareth Harrop, 44, of Lyons Lane, Chorley, received 28 months for the two drug charges.
Police uncovered the ‘county lines’ drug ring after the group accused a dealer named Michael Collings of making off with £4,000 of drugs.
In a text to Courtney, Hodson fumed ‘your mate’s f***ed off’.
Hodson and Courtney resorted to threatening the absconded dealer’s relatives, saying they would firebomb his grandmother and sister’s house and by terrorising his sister Shannon Collings – who ‘had nothing to do with drugs’ and had little contact with her brother.
In one message to someone known to the drug gang, Courtney warned: “Tell Mikey if he doesn’t get in touch ASAP his nan is getting it.”
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Investigators uncovered a string of phone and text contact between Courtney, Hodson and their innocent victim Miss Collings, who told Courtney that Hodson had given her a ‘couple of days’ to find her brother.
She was called on New Year’s Day and told that the debt could be cut to £1,500 if paid, prompting her to ask a neighbour for a loan.
Hodson also referred to her then-partner Michael Bethell, who was in prison, to ‘add leverage’ to her attempts to bully the woman.
Miss Collings, who lived with her grandmother, told Courtney she was ‘scared’, but Courtney told her: “If you don’t get the money the house will be going up.”
The ordeal left her grandmother ‘ not eating due to worry’, and police moved Miss Collings to a safe location and began recording the threatening calls.
When Courtney managed to contact Michael Collings, he said: “I’m going to make your life hell.”
On January 4, covert police filmed Courtney and Harrop take a vehicle drug resupply at The Orient pub car park in Speke.
Hodson was arrested at home with £3,329, graft phones, and a tick list that said ‘Daz’ – meaning Courtney – owed £1,500 from a £2,400 debt.
The ledger also covered Hodson’s county line to Wrexham.
Police arrested Harrop and officers then pounced on Courtney, who tried to escape and discard heroin and crack cocaine worth £4,320.
All three later pleaded guilty.
Jemma Gordon, defending Courtney, said he was young, drawn in by a drug debt and was ‘relatively lightly convicted’ for criminal damage in 2015 and harassment last year.
Stella Hayden, representing Hodson, said Hodson was a ‘ devoted mother’ and ‘good neighbour’ but was ‘vulnerable’ when she became involved in crime and was now ‘devastated at the impact her actions have ,had on her children’.
She said there was evidence that Bethell was in charge and ‘quite plainly directing operations’.
Judge Berkson questioned how ‘controlling’ Bethell was as Hodson had stood up to him in a text message.
Simon Christie, representing Harrop, said Harrop was a hard-working surveyor until ‘drug use takes over and destroys everything’, escalating from ‘recreational use on occasions to something rather more sinister’, but had been a model prisoner.
Judge Berkson sentenced Courtney to four years in prison, Hodson to six and Harrop to 28 months.
During summing-up, he said: “A particularly sinister aspect is the conspiracy to blackmail.
“The taking of drugs is dangerous in itself, leading to financial ruin, ill health and debt.
“But an individual had run up a substantial drug debt.
“He couldn’t pay so his sister, who had nothing to do with drugs and had little to do with her brother and who she hadn’t seen for some time, was threatened to produce the money owing to the group that he worked for.”
Hodson wept through much of the hearing and previous hearings.
Cheshire Constabulary have said Michael Bethell was not charged in connection with the investigation.
A Proceeds Of Crime Act timetable was agreed.