Decades in prison for crack cocaine and heroin dealers in Gainsborough

Nine people responsible for dealing crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin and cannabis in Gainsborough over several months have been sentenced to decades in prison following an investigation.

The hearing at Lincoln Crown Court heard how the offenders had been dealing to users in and around the town, with deals sometimes carried out in public spaces.

The drug deals taking place were smaller sales to users who would sometimes buy several times a day. The deals were for 0.01 of a gram of crack cocaine each time, and they cost £10 a wrap.

It is believed around half a kilo of crack cocaine was dealt during the investigation. Users were sent marketing text messages advertising that crack cocaine was available. As well as dealing crack cocaine, they also supplied cocaine in larger quantities on demand.

It is believed that they reloaded their supply around every three days to satisfy demand.

An operation was launched by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) to catch those responsible after officers from the Gainsborough Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) identified the emerging issue of dealing on their patch.

Intelligence officers and the local NPT spent months gathering community intelligence, alongside other investigative methods by regional officers and staff, to determine who was responsible for the dealing, before specialist teams executed a series of early-morning warrants on 5 May 2020.

The warrants were carried out at six properties simultaneously – five in Gainsborough and one in North Lincolnshire.

Six of the offenders were arrested immediately following the warrants. A further offender was arrested the following day, one more later that month, and the rest a few months later following ongoing investigations.

Seven of the offenders who pleaded guilty to their part in the conspiracy, and two who were found guilty following a trial, have now been sentenced this week. A further two will be sentenced at a later date.

This positive result is owed in part to intelligence received from the local community. If you have any concerns about your area or an individual, please contact us either through 101 or through Crimestoppers anonymously on https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ or 0800 555111.

Assistant Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police, Kerrin Wilson, said: “Organised criminality such as this seeks to prey on vulnerable people, and we knew that these individuals were a blight on their community, because with drugs always comes other issues.

“As a Force, we proactively tackle drug dealing, and we knew that with the help of the local community, our officers could use their policing expertise to gather the intel which could help identify those who were responsible for bringing dealing to the streets of Gainsborough – and crucially, allow us to gather the evidence needed to secure a conviction.

“This was a very thorough and involved investigation, and it’s thanks to the hard work and determination of our officers and staff to improve the communities they serve that we are here today, with results which send a clear message that we will not tolerate dealing in our county at any level.

“The main win is for the community. Our pursuit of criminals is round the clock, and the payoff of investigations like this gives us a further push to keep on tackling this kind of crime so that we can make every one of our towns, villages and cities a safe place to live, work and visit.”

Here is the full list of offenders, their charges, and their sentences. The following pleaded guilty:

• Jerry Maughan, also known as Smith, 28, of Lea Road West, Gainsborough. Sentence: For conspiracy to supply Class A Crack Cocaine he was sentenced to 5 years, 8 months (68 months). He received the same sentence for conspiracy to supply Cocaine, to run concurrently. He was also given a 10 month sentence to run concurrently for supply of class B drug (Cannabis).
• Andrew Burgess, 41, of Marshall’s Rise, Gainsborough. He was sentenced to 3 years for supplying a Class A drug (Cocaine). He is now released on licence based on time served.
• William Andrews, 51, of High Street, Gainsborough. For conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A (Crack Cocaine), he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. He received a further 3 year sentence for conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A (Cocaine), to run concurrently. He received a further 2 years and 7 months for possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply (Heroin), which will run concurrently. He was also sentenced for offences predating the investigation. He received a 20 month sentence to run concurrently for possession of Class A drug with intent to supply (Diacetylmorphine), and a 20 month sentence to run consecutively for possession of Class A drug with intent to supply (Crack Cocaine).
• Declan Boswell, 20, no fixed address. He was sentenced to 3 years for conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A (Crack Cocaine). He is now released on licence based on time served.
• Ben Glastonbury, 35, previously of Clinton Terrace, Gainsborough. He was sentenced to 2 years in prison for conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A (Crack Cocaine). He received a further 2 year sentence for supply of controlled drug Class A (Heroin). This sentence will run concurrently.
• Ty McLaggan, 23, of Park Springs Road, Gainsborough. He was sentenced to 3 years and 3 months for conspiracy to supply Class A drug (Crack Cocaine), and a further 3 years and 3 months to run concurrently for supply of controlled drug of Class A (Heroin). He is now released on licence based on time served.
• Declan Mulholland, 22, of Ropery Road, Gainsborough. He was sentenced to 3 years and 3 months for conspiracy to supply Class A drug (Crack Cocaine), and a further two sentences each of 3 years and 3 months for conspiracy to supply Class A drug (Cocaine) and supply of controlled drug of Class A (Heroin). Those sentences will run concurrently. He is now released on licence based on time served.

The following were found guilty following a trial in March 2022:

• Nathan Stevenson, 31, of Queensfield, Gainsborough. He was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months for conspiracy to supply Class A drug (Cocaine).
• Robert Blakestone, 75, of Thurstan Way, Worksop. He was found guilty of Conspiracy to supply Class A drug (Crack Cocaine) and Conspiracy to supply Class A (Cocaine). He was sentenced to 2 years a 3 months for each count, to run concurrently.

A further two offenders will be sentenced at a date to be confirmed:

• Gareth Williams, 53, previously of Tennyson Street, Gainsborough – Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Crack Cocaine, Conspiracy to supply Cocaine, supply Heroin
• John McLaggan, 50, of Park Springs Road, Gainsborough – Pleaded to supply of Heroin. Found guilty Conspiracy to supply Crack Cocaine.