Five jailed after officers discover millions of pounds worth of drugs
Five people have been jailed for a total of almost 54 years after officers uncovered an organised crime group.
Today (Friday 24 October), four people were jailed following a hearing at Bristol Crown Court for drug offences. A fifth was handed a suspended jail term while a sixth person was sentenced last month.
Three of the defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and cocaine) and class B drugs (amphetamine):
- Justin Pearce, aged 45 of no fixed address.
- Joshua Batt, aged 28 from Whitchurch.
- Leah Murphy, aged 44 of no fixed address.
Mark Bourne, aged 49 from Horfield, and Mark Glover, aged 48 from Henbury, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin).
Janet Chard, aged 68 from Knowle West, pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an Organised Crime Group.
The court was told how, on 18 November last year, police carried out a number of warrants and searches as part of the continued crack down on drug dealing in Bristol and an organised crime group.
At one of the warrants, carried out at a business park off Staunton Lane in Whitchurch, officers found two boxes of more than 10kg of heroin, with an estimated street value of £1million.
Pearce, who played a leading role in the drugs supply operation, was found in the same room as the drugs. With Batt, Glover and Bourne all at the premises.
Officers conducted further enquiries in Kingsdown Parade, where they arrested Pearce’s partner, Leah Murphy, on suspicion of drugs supply after they found just under £5,000 in cash in her handbag along with around £20,000 of bank notes in a carrier bag in the living room.
Their searches didn’t stop there. A further warrant was executed on a storage unit rented by Murphy, where they found a further £66,000 in bank notes.
Officers then turned their attention to a garage in Down Lane, Bristol, where a total of 10kg of cocaine, 9kg of heroin and 21kg of amphetamines were found, along with cutting agents and other drug paraphernalia, with a combined street value of £1.8million.
Janet Chard was then arrested the same day, having been identified as a courier for the group who transported drugs across the country on several occasions.
The judge passed the following sentences:
- Justin Pearce jailed for 15 years
- Joshua Batt jailed for 12 years
- Leah Murphy, who was sentenced on 8 September this year, was jailed to nine years and seven months.
- Mark Bourne jailed for eight years and eight months
- Mark Glover jailed for eight years and eight months
- Janet Chard handed a 20-month jail term suspended for two years.
Talking after the sentencing, Det Insp Nic Lawson said: “This is a brilliant step in the war against drug crime in Avon and Somerset.
“The actions of our officers has brought down a significant drug dealing ring operating out of Bristol and has seen millions-of-pounds-worth of drugs never make it to the streets.
“Drug use and drug dealing impacts not only the individuals who use and sell them, but also their friends, family and the local community. A number of crimes such as anti-social behaviour and violent crime are associated with drugs and, by stopping almost £3million worth of drugs from entering our communities, we have hopefully prevented a number of drug-associated crimes from taking place.”