Blackpool drugs sentencing - more men jailed over roles in 'County Lines' set up that exploited teens

It follows the first day of the hearing on Monday, when six men were jailed for their roles in the conspiracy,

The defendants were arrested as part of Lancashire Police's Operation Ullswater, a major drugs probe in the resort.

Preston Crown Court previously heard the the conspiracy, between May 1 and December 2, 2018, centred around three phone numbers collectively known as the "SJ phone", and the prosecution say the operation depended, for a period of time, on facilitating the travel of three boys, aged 14, 14 and 16, to the resort.

Two women and 10 other men have already been sentenced, but on Tuesday, Jordan Gill-Smith, Connor Langford, Kaydee Cogan, and his brother Jordan Cogan, were also jailed.

They were found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs after a trial in December, while co-defendant Craig Davidson pleaded guilty at a later date.

Davidson, 38, of Thomas Street, Huddersfield, was given a minimum sentence for six years and three months due to previous convictions.

He was involved in transporting members of the group, cash and drugs between Huddersfield and Blackpool.

He was the owner of a Seat Ibiza registered to him and also used a VW Golf which was crashed and abandoned in Huddersfield – with his passport and phone left in the abandoned vehicle.

Prosecuting, Joe Allman said Davidson, who has previous drug convictions, was approached by one of the youths involved in the conspiracy offering cash or drugs for making restocking trips to Blackpool and added: "He took up the opportunity with eagerness, making trips nearly every day during July 2018. He made 26 trips in total."

Kate Riekstina, defending the dad-of-two, said he wanted to apologise to the community for his role in the offence and was taking steps to change his life.

She added: " He wants the court to know he's sorry for becoming involved. His temptation of drugs got the better of him and this is something he's living to regret every single day."

Addressing Davidson, Judge Philip Parry said: "In my judgement you must have been in no doubt whatsoever about the scale and organisation of this conspiracy headed by Ryan Ncube.

"Make no mistake, the role you played in this conspiracy was a valuable and important one."

Kaydee Cogan, 22, of Trafalgar Road, Huddersfield, was jailed for four and a half years.

He transported members, cash and drugs in his Seat Ibiza, making eight trips in total, but in an interview said he took members to Blackpool as a favour and was paid £20 petrol money.

Of the calls made when they were in the car, he said he didn’t hear what was said.

Zarif Khan, defending, argued he had played a lesser role.

Judge Parry said he did not accept his ongoing claims that his role was ' innocent favours for friends' and that he didn't know what Ncube and Brown were

discussing when he gave them lifts to Blackpool.

Remarking he was a hard working and decent man in other respects he added: "It is so depressing to see what you've done, and what you could have done, with your life."

Jordan Cogan, 24, of the same address, was jailed for three and a half years.

He made similar journeys in an Audi A3 but said he had no knowledge of any criminal conduct, had taken Ncube to Blackpool as a favour and had been paid £50 petrol money.

Saul Brody, defending, said: " He joined this conspiracy at a late stage and made, as a driver, the fewest trips."

Judge Parry said: "I do not accept you were exploited or naive, you are intelligent and mature.

"You willingly drove the head of this conspiracy to further his drug supply operation."

Jordan Gill-Smith, 21, of Lower Grange Road, Huddersfield, was jailed for four and a half years.

He transported gang members, cash and drugs between Huddersfield and Blackpool in a Vauxhall Astra, which made 12 return trips to Blackpool.

Evidence shows group text messages were sent out by the ‘SJ’ phone shortly after his arrival in the resort, and he was in contact with other conspirators.

Mr Allman added: "When his house was searched a driving licence application in the name of Ryan Ncube was seized."

Defending, Chris Rose acknowledged he didn't "fully accept" the jury's verdict, but said: " He does have insight into the effect this offending would have had on the community. That bodes well for his future rehabilitation."

Judge Parry told him he was fortunate not to have been charged with a modern slavery offence, and added: "You played an important role in ensuring this conspiracy ran efficiently between Huddersfield and Blackpool."

Connor Langford, 20, of Birklands Road, Huddersfield, was jailed for five years.

He also transported gang members, cash and drugs in a VW Golf, making 11 return trips to Blackpool - the pattern of which is linked to group texts from the SJ phone.

In his interview he said he did not recognise the phone number attributed to him and did not have a phone - but when officers pointed out his own father had given that number to the police to contact him he began to answer no comment.

He was also convicted of arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, in relation to transporting a boy back to Huddersfield.

Defending, Bob Sastry said: "This is a young man who very much regrets his choices."

Judge Parry accepted references had shown Langford to be a hard working family man, but said he had "acted as eyes and ears and overseer" for Ncube.

A man and a woman will be sentenced tomorrow.

(proceeding)