Men jailed for heroin and cocaine supply

Posted on 7 November 2025, at 18:57 in In Court

Custody images of four men. Clockwise from top left: Joe Hatherall, Ben Bicknell, Stefan Dann and Dean Chick. — Clockwise from top left: Joe Hatherall, Ben Bicknell, Stefan Dann and Dean Chick.

Published on behalf of the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit.

Four people involved in the supply of multi-kilo amounts of cocaine and heroin have been sentenced today (Friday 7 Nov) at Bristol Crown Court following an investigation by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

In January 2022, Joe Hatherall age 32 formerly of Emersons Green, South Gloucestershire, was released from prison on licence having served half of his nine-year sentence for conspiracy to supply cannabis. Within days of his release Hatherall was in contact with his network of associates arranging the movement of heroin and cocaine throughout the South West.

In February 2022, Dean Chick age 37 from Lisburn Road in Knowle, Bristol was stopped by police on the M5 northbound following an exchange with one of Hatherall’s associates and found with £31,230 in cash. Chick was sentenced to three years and four months for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Hatherall’s main drugs distributor in Bristol was Ben Bicknell age 37 of Whitchurch Lane. Bicknell was arrested in June 2022 and found in possession of snap bags containing cocaine. During a search of his home address a small amount of cocaine and almost £20,000 in cash was seized.

Bicknell was also forensically linked to three kilos of heroin and 660 grams of cocaine seized from his niece Kasey Cotterell’s address in Hartcliffe, Bristol, the same day. In September this year Cotterell was handed a two-year community order for the offer to supply and being concerned in the supply of drugs for the OCG. Today, Bicknell was sentenced to eight years and three months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Stefan Dann age 33 from Greenfield Crescent, Nailsea, North Somerset, was a drugs courier for the OCG. He too was forensically linked to the drugs found stored at Cotterell’s home. The judge handed Dann a sentence of five years and seven months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Analysis of Hatherall’s encrypted phone showed he played a leading role in the OCG and funded his luxury lifestyle from the proceeds of crime. He was arrested in November 2022 and recalled to prison. Today he was handed a sentence of 12 years and six months.

Around 10 kilos of cocaine and four kilos of heroin was seized during this investigation, which would have a street value of over £1million. Approximately £80,000 cash was taken from people working for the OCG and more than £30,000 in cryptocurrency confiscated from Hatherall. This money will be used by law enforcement to continue tackling crime.

DCI Adam Smith of SWROCU said: “Through a range of tactics my team were able to evidence Hatherall’s criminal activity and that of his associates. As a result, his OGC has been dismantled and cocaine and heroin prevented from reaching communities within our region.

“Hatherall has shown a complete disregard for the harm caused by drugs and is driven by greed and a desire to live a life of luxury which included buying high-value vehicles, designer clothing, cosmetic dentistry, expensive watches, and a jet ski.

“The conviction of all the members of the OCG shows we will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone involved in drug supply despite the attempts they make to avoid detection.”