Haydock man jailed for County Lines drugs offences
Jake Dearden, 26, was caught after an investigation into his phone data
A man has been jailed for supplying Class A drugs in the St Helens area after an investigation into his phone data revealed his involvement.
Jake Dearden, 26, of Lloyd Street, in Haydock, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Monday 4 February, when he was sentenced to three years and nine months.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to the following offences:
• Being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine
• Being concerned in the supply of heroin
• Possession of cannabis
• Possession of criminal property
Dearden was charged following an investigation into the supply of Class A drugs in St Helens between September and November last year.
Officers investigating the drugs supply identified Dearden as being the handler of a phone that was being used to sell heroin and crack cocaine to people in the area.
The investigation formed part of Merseyside Police’s Project Medusa, which targets county lines drug dealing and the criminal exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults.
Detective Sergeant Gerard Farley said: “Through our investigation into Dearden’s phone, we were able to prove that he was controlling a drugs line operating in the St Helens area.
“Dearden’s actions would have caused immense harm in this community and it’s pleasing to see that he is now off our streets.
“This sentence shows our commitment to bringing individuals involved in drug supply to justice. We have removed another drug dealer from our community and stopped Class A drugs finding their way onto the streets.
“We want this conviction and jail sentence to act as a warning to others – the police and the courts take the supply of drugs seriously and if you commit offences, you can expect to get caught and face a custodial sentence.
“Reports from members of the public are crucial in helping us build an accurate and up-to-date picture of what’s happening in our communities and we’d encourage people to share any concerns with us.”
The Eyes Open campaign raises awareness about the growing issue of child criminal exploitation and county lines. For more information, visit: www.eyes-open.co.uk Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.