Drugs lord brought down by phone footage
AMERSEYSIDE drugs kingpin whose County Lines gang carried out a reign of violence and intimidation after forcing their way into victims’ homes has been brought down by damning footage on his own mobile phone.
Bootle man William Crowney, known as Scott, was branded by police as “the ringleader” of a county lines drug gang in Runcorn who “used violence, threats and intimidation to deal crack cocaine and heroin in the town”.
County Lines are networks run by city gangs who attempt to take over the drugs market in other towns and cities, sometimes peddling misery hundred of miles from their base.
Cheshire Police said the 32-yearold, from Worcester Road, Bootle in Merseyside, used violence and fear to force drug users in the town to hold and distribute the drugs on the gang’s behalf.
But his empire crumbled after his phone, which contained footage of the misery caused to his victims, was seized along with drugs during police raids on July 10, 2019.
A Cheshire Police spokesperson said: “Crowney was arrested at an address on Thorn Road and a search of the property resulted in officers seizing MDMA, heroin and crack cocaine.
“His mobile phone was also seized and examination of the device uncovered several video recordings showing the ill-treatment of local drug users.”
Police confirmed the sickening footage showed “controlling behaviour, violence and degrading treatment”.
He was sentenced to eight years and four months at Chester Crown Court on Monday, July 19 after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.
PC Dawn Taylor, of Cheshire Constabulary’s proactive team in Runcorn, said: “Crowney was the ringleader of a gang who had a dominant force in supplying class A drugs from Merseyside into Runcorn.
“He subjected local drugs users to inhumane treatment, significant violence and serious harm as a means of enforcing his empire. His actions have had a lasting and life changing impact on his victims.
“Crowney and his gang would manipulate and force their way into the homes of vulnerable adults to use as a drugs den – a term known as cuckooing and very commonly used by organised crime groups running a county lines enterprise.”
She also praised the victims’ bravery.
She said: “It has been a long operation to uncover the drug activity and the exploitation used by this gang to get to those who controlled it. I must give credit to the victims who have shown courage and bravery in relaying what Crowney did to them and trusting in officers to ensure justice was served.
“To continue this work in driving organised crime out of Runcorn we need the support from the public. I want to encourage residents to keep reporting drug activity and to recognise the signs of it, and cuckooing, taking place.”
If you have information about drug activity police say please report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by contacting Cheshire Constabulary on 101 or visiting the website https://www.cheshire.police.uk/
For details on how to spot the signs of county lines drug dealing and cuckooing please visit the