Four face jail over drugs network
Four men are facing years in prison after they were convicted of dealing cocaine from a network of houses in Sunderland and South Shields.
Andrew Blake brought large quantities of high-purity cocaine to Wearside, where he was helped to “bulk it out” and sell it by Christian Winter, Ian Ramshaw and David Murphy.
Prosecutors claimed Murphy’s parents, Michael and Margaret, were involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.
Both Michael and Margaret Murphy were found not guilty of all charges after a joint trial with the other men which lasted more six weeks.
“This case concerns a series of conspiracies to supply cocaine, Ecstasy, and cannabis in the East Durham and Sunderland areas,” said Peter Makepeace QC, prosecuting, at Teesside Crown Court.
The court heard large quantities of high-purity cocaine was brought into the area by Blake, assisted by Winter and Ramshaw.
Detectives identified at least four “safe houses” used by the gang for the storing, bulking out, and distributing of the drugs.
Mr Makepeace said that as their cocaine network grew, those operating it branched out into other drugs.
The gang kept their money in separate locations from the drugs, to minimise the risk of losing everything if they were raided, the jury was told.
“When the police raided the home of Thomas Blake more than £100,000 of drug-contaminated cash was recovered from a secret compartment hidden at the bottom of a shelving unit,” said Mr Makepeace.” Ramshaw, 32, of Cambridge Road, Silksworth; Winter, 50, of Osborne Avenue, South Shields; Andrew Blake, 40, of Regent Court, South Hetton, and David Murphy, 38 of Avonmouth Road, Farringdon, were convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs between March 2014 and June 2015.
Thomas Blake, 77, of Jubilee Square, South Hetton, was convicted of converting criminal property.
Michael Murphy, 63, and Margaret Murphy, 61, both of Fletcher Crescent Houghton, were found not guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
Lawyers for Ramshaw and David Murphy applied for bail pending sentence to give each man time to “make peace” with his family before starting a prison sentence.
Winter and Andrew Blake were remanded in custody, but Thomas Blake was bailed after the court heard custody was “not inevitable” in his case.
Judge Sherwin will pass sentence on a date to be fixed.
“More than £100k was recovered from a secret compartment” PETER MAKE PEACE