Key player in drugs gang which flooded Preston with heroin and crack cocaine jailed for more than 5 years

Jordan “Titch” Murray, who was said to have carried on selling dope from his prison cell in 2022, pleaded guilty to two offences of being concerned with the supply of Class A narcotics when he appeared at the city’s crown court.

Judge Paul Hodgkinson described the 33-year-old as having “an absolutely appalling” record for drug offences dating back to when he was just 15.

And even though Murray, who was previously living in Thornton, claimed he had been forced to work for drug bosses to pay off a long-standing debt, the judge sent him back to prison for five years and seven months where he is currently on recall serving out a 12-year sentence for similar offences.

Prosecution barrister Cecilia Pritchard told the court that police investigating the Titch Line - in Operation Zodiac and later Operation Violin - had identified Murray as a key member of the OCG.

A special telephone number used by the Titch Line for selling and buying hard drugs was linked to Murray. He was spotted on Fishergate in Preston in August last year and ran off from police, but while escaping he dropped a mobile phone and other items.

The phone was found to contain at least 200 text messages to and from the Titch Line group.

At the time of his arrest Murray was on licence from prison where he had been serving 12 years for a drugs conspiracy in 2022. He had only been out of jail for two months. He claimed more than £600 cash found on him was the proceeds of a gambling win.

Ms Pritchard said Murray had 78 previous offences on his record from 36 court appearances, many of them for drugs offences.

The prosecution, she said, felt he had played a leading role in the most recent supply of Class A drugs.

He had been in possession of the phone that was used as the main number for the Titch Line and he was the one who was directing the selling of heroin and crack cocaine.

David Traynor, defending, said his client should not be sentenced for what he had done in the past, only for the offences he was before the court for now.

He added that Murray had been recalled to prison to serve out his previous 12-year sentence and was not now scheduled to be released until June 2033.

He told the judge: “Local gangs get their claws into people and that is the foundation for his terrible behaviour. He has never been able to break free from that life.”

He said Murray’s debts from before he went into prison had followed him when he was released on licence.

“He says that on his release in June 2025 those debts were still there – pressure was put on him.

“He has not been in the community for seven years or so apart from those five months (after he release in June 2025). He has realised what he is missing out on. He has had time to reflect on what he has done in the past.

“His partner has stood by him during the seven years he has been in custody. He has been getting a taste of real life away from drug dealing.

“This is a man who is now working hard to turn his life around. He has stepped back to see what life is really about.”

Judge Hodgkinson told Murray: “You have a dreadful record. At 33 an absolutely appalling record for dealing Class A drugs.

“I am minded to take a generous view that (your role) was a significant role rather than a leading role. This is an offence committed by you almost immediately on your release from a previous sentence. You were therefore on licence and you didn’t learn the error of your ways.”

Back in March 2022 Murray was one of 13 members of the Titch Line OCG, all from Preston, who arrested in Operation Zodiac. Nine of them were sentenced to a total of more than 75 years for supplying between £200k and £400k worth of Class A drugs in and around the city.

At the Crown Court trial police said the group had been set up and headed by Murray – also known as Titch. He was 28 at the time and was being held at HMP Lancaster Farms.

The court heard Murray gave directions and orders from his prison cell using contraband mobile phones.