Dealer arranged ‘throw overs’ into Rochdale prison
ADRUG dealer replied ‘ha ha ha, minor’ after being told how long he will spend in prison by a judge.
Kyle Ashton sold heroin and crack cocaine to users on the streets and orchestrated deliveries by others as part of a county lines operation.
He also arranged ‘throw overs’ of cannabis into HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale.
One of his supporters left court asking ‘who grassed?’ as he was locked up last week.
Liverpool Crown Court heard last Wednesday (March 20) that the 22-year-old was involved in supplying drugs via the ‘Dallam Line’ - a reference to an area of Warrington - between May and July 2023, as well as in October and November the same year.
Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, described how Ashton was spotted by police leaving an address on Southworth Avenue in Bewsey on October 4 before cycling a short distance away and meeting with two men, one of whom was a known class A user.
He then passed one of the males an item and was handed cash in return in a suspected drug deal.
Officers then executed a search warrant at his home on Elston Avenue in Newton-le-willows at around 8.30am on November 9, 8.30am.
Ashton was present at the address at the time, with a black Nokia mobile phone, which had been used as part of the Dallam Line, being recovered from his bedside.
A Vodafone SIM card which had been utilised by the operation was also found hidden in a trainer in his bedroom.
The court was read several examples of flare messages which had been sent to customers in order to advertise drugs for sale, including: “Dallam, new number. On until you get your orders in.
“On all night, best of both. On, power, massive bits.”
Messages on Ashton’s personal phone meanwhile ‘contained details of the defendant arranging what are believed to be throw overs into a prison environment.’
A total of 69.3g of cannabis resin with a street value of £200 to £800 was located in a plastic bag at the foot of his bed.
Mr Blasbery said that the police ‘formed the opinion that they were to be thrown over the wall of a prison’ - which, according to charge sheets, was HMP Buckley Hall.
The prosecutor added that the value of the drugs would have inflated to up to £8,000 behind bars.
Cash amounting to £1,100 was also seized from Ashton’s address.
He failed to appear for a previous sentencing hearing last month, with a warrant being issued for his arrest on this date.
His criminal record shows a total of three previous convictions for seven offences.
These include possession of heroin in 2020, robbery and assault with intent to rob the same year and motoring offences in 2022.
Zahra Baqri, defending, told the court: “The telephone was
clearly used by other dealers during that period. Phones are often passed to whoever is on shift that day.
“It is accepted that this defendant sent out some flare messages. It seems he was directing other dealers.”
Ms Baqri added of her client’s failure to attend court last month: “Quite simply, he buried his head in the sand. He knew what was coming.
“He does not excuse his actions. Having a criminal record, he struggled to obtain legitimate employment.
“He was offered a wage to participate, and he did receive payment.
“There was no evidence that he was handsomely rewarded when his house was searched, there were no designer watches and clothing and the like.
“He is a relatively naïve and immature young man.
“It is clear that he has been easily influenced by people he wrongly looked up to, including his older brother, who I believe is a serving prisoner.
“As a consequence, he went down the wrong path. It is clear that the defendant had a difficult start in life.
“As a child, he was moved from pillar to post. That was because of his mother’s catastrophic brain injury and drug misuse.
“He has no respect for himself. He has a defeatist and negative attitude about life.“he intends to use his time constructively.
“He very much hopes that, upon his release, he will tread the right path.”
Ashton admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, conspiracy to convey a prohibited article into a prison, possession of criminal property and breaching court bail. He was jailed for three and a half years.
Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver KC said: “You participated in a business that was really on similar lines to a county lines model.
“You did not have the phone all of the time, but your role was not merely to deliver to end users but sometimes to receive orders and then direct others to make those deliveries.
“There is your record - not for supplying drugs, but you have had a custodial sentence for robbery. In mitigation, you are still young.”
Appearing in the dock, Ashton said ‘ha ha ha, minor’ after learning his sentence and told his supporters ‘see you soon, love you’ as he was led to the cells.
One man in the public gallery then said to the judge: “Can I ask you a question?”
Judge Driver replied: “No. Please go.”
The man continued ‘not telling us who grassed?’ as he walked out of the courtroom.