Blackpool plumber caught dealing drugs to undercover police officer

But Jamie Phillip Copeland, 35, didn’t know that among the people he was selling cocaine and heroin to was an undercover police officer.

Copeland, of Dickson Road, Blackpool, was snared as part of Operation Moth - a Lancashire Police led drugs operation in Blackpool - and is now beginning a two year jail term.

Preston Crown Court was told on February 13 an undercover officer known as “Emma”, was told to go to Warley Road in Blackpool.

Copeland attended, taking two wraps from his mouth, and supplied her with cocaine and heroin for £30, remarking he was tired because he had been dealing drugs during a shift at work.

On February 16 she attended a location near the Gynn pub, where two other men were also waiting for drugs.

One became impatient and left. On February 26 the officer was instructed to attend a location on Warley Road again, and was joined by a woman who was also waiting for drugs, before Copeland met them.

He was among several people arrested on October 2 during raids.

Jacob Dyer, defending, said: “He wishes the court to know he has made efforts with his drug addiction and his mental health and he is now drug free.

“There is real hope he can work with the probation service, there is real hope he can tackle his addiction. There is work available to him if he returns to the Blackpool area.”

He also said his client had little understanding of the scale of the operation.

Copeland, who has been a drug user since his teens and turned to heroin at 21, admitted six counts of supplying class A drugs.

Mr Dyer said he went on a detox course but relapsed in 2016 after he was seriously injured in a road accident.

The judge...

Recorder Carwyn Cox said: “It’s fair to say this was an isolated incident in sense of it being over a short period but can’t ignore the fact there were three incidents.”