Pair sold Class A drugs in Grimsby
AFORMER promising footballer from Runcorn and a Widnes man were among the defendants in a drugs gang jailed for supplying Grimsby with heroin and cocaine.
Jamie Shaw, 23, also known as Jamie Blythe, of Runcorn, was sent down for two years and eight months, and Lee Healey, 33, of Widnes, also known as Lee Blackburn, was given nine years behind bars at Grimsby Crown Court on Monday (June 29). Grimsby Live reported that the pair were part of a ‘huge drugs operation’ that ‘brought misery and £1.38m of drugs’ to Grimsby, bringing ‘terrible consequences’ for residents.
Shaw’s own solicitor said the Runcorn man could have become a Liverpool FC football player before abandoning that career. One of the group’s ringleaders, Scott Hendry, 27, of Warrington, was convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A heroin and cocaine after trial having denied the offences.
Grimsby Live reported that Hendry, his brother and mother organised the drug route from Liverpool.
‘Key accomplice’ Andreas Vassou, 30, of Liverpool, along with Shaw, Reece Navarro, 21, of Liverpool, and Healey, admitted the offences.
Judge Roger Thomas QC told Sheffield Crown Court that a considerable amount of Class A drugs heroin and cocaine was sent from Merseyside to Grimsby in a county lines operation.
He said: “This was a professional organisation and a large-scale operation, the principal operators being centred in Merseyside and others in Grimsby who would supply the drug onwards,”
The operation spanned September 2017 to March 2019.
Those at the top end of the conspiracy could, by being on the other side of the country, ‘seek to hide from what was immediately going on far away’ by using several telephones.
Drugs were delivered from one side of the country to the other.
The operation was run by Scott Hendry and his brother, Josh Hendry, as well as their mother, Leslie Aytoun, from Merseyside.
Judge Thomas said: “These three family members were at the pinnacle of the operation.”
Aytoun, 49, of Liverpool, had pleaded guilty and was awaiting sentence and Josh Hendry, is on the run from police after being jailed for 10 years in his absence.
Vassou played an important role by renting a room in Grimsby and making at least 62 round trips there from Merseyside to transport drugs.
He also took bundles of cash back to Merseyside.
He had about £22,000 with him when he was arrested in Grimsby when ‘police closed the net’ on the dealing.
Judge Thomas said: “There was an overarching county lines operation being undertaken.”
Navarro was arrested in 2017 when he had false number plates on a car.
Shaw operated as a street dealer in Grimsby but was caught after trying to run away during a search of a house.
He had £900 cash on him as well as heroin and crack cocaine.
The drugs supply problem had ‘terrible consequences’ for people.
Scott Hendry was jailed for 14 years and Vassou for eight years. Healey was locked up for nine years.
Navarro was jailed for two years and 11 months and Shaw for two years and eight months.
Others have yet to be sentenced but their cases have been delayed because of the coronavirus situation.
Paul Becker, mitigating, said Scott Hendry had ‘large periods of inactivity’ and claimed that he became involved further as an ‘understudy’ after his brother fled from the country.
Mr Becker said: “He says he is innocent.”
A jury had, however, convicted Hendry.
Stephen Robinson, representing Vassou, said that the cannabis addict transported large amounts of money back to Merseyside.
Mr Robinson said: “He was transporting drugs from Liverpool to Grimsby.
“It was distributed onwards from there.
“There was a financial reward.
“He admitted his involvement straight away on being stopped by the police.
“He has shown remorse for his actions.”
Ayesha Smart, representing Navarro, said that the defendant became involved after becoming addicted to cocaine by the age of 17 and building up a large debt.
He was given the chance to work off the debt and received free drugs. He played a limited role.
Lloyd Morgan, representing Shaw, said the defendant’s role was limited to street dealing for slightly more than two weeks.
Mr Morgan said: “He had no influence on anyone above him in the chain of supply.”
“He had a potentially promising career playing for Liverpool Football Club but was unable to continue with that due to family difficulties.”