Thirteen Warrington men behind bars after largest county lines operation targeting drug gangs

THIRTEEN men from Warrington are now behind bars following Cheshire Police’s largest county lines operation targeting drug gangs from Manchester and Merseyside who took over the town as their territory.

The gangs carried weapons including machetes and axes as a way to threaten and warn rivals.

The gangs had effectively taken over Warrington using local parks frequented by children as locations to deal class A drugs from, carving gang names in tree branches marking their territory.

Gangs from Liverpool and Manchester, along with some operating locally, had established themselves in the town with drugs being openly supplied in the community.

Almost 14 months since the operation began drug dealers from six gangs were sentenced over three days.

As well as the thirteen men sentenced, five more men and one woman from the Warrington area are to be sentenced next month.

Onion line members included:

•Kris Bamford, aged 36, of White Cross Road, Warrington pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to supply Heroin. He was sentenced to three years.
•Paul Ellis, aged 56, of Rixton Avenue, Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. He was sentenced to two years and eight months.
•Darren Houghton, aged 49, of Trafford Avenue in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. He was sentenced to three years.

JJ line members included

•Ewan Burrows, aged 21, of Slater Street in Latchford pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine. He was sentenced to two years.
•John Palmer, aged 39, of Knutsford Road, Warrington pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine. He was sentenced to five years and six months.

Luke Haired Luke two line members included:

•Mark Ingle, aged 45, of Longshaw Street in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to two years and eight months.
•Robert Spakouskas, aged 44, of Brook Drive in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to five years and five months.
•Antony Cragg, aged 32, of Longshaw Street in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to three years and seven months.

Lenny Team members pictured top included

•Barry Jones, 52, of Algernon Street in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine. He was jailed for three years.
•Mark Little, 38, of Town Hill in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for 11 years and banned from driving for seven years and six months.
•Matthew Little, 34, of Melville Close in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for three years.

Scouse Billy and Lenny line member (pictured top)

•Anthony Westhead, aged 46, of Melville Close in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for nine years.

Jonno Joe line member

•Connor Houghton, aged 20, of The Crescent in Lymm pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for five years and eight months.

If you have information relating to drug activity taking place in your community please report it here https://www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us or anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and Cheshire Constabulary will do the rest.

To spot the signs of county lines criminality please click here Impact | Cheshire Constabulary

Meanwhile to be sentenced in April are Paul line members

•Callum Hubbersty, aged 21, of Charlton Street in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
•Kane Nixon, aged 20, of Cromwell Court in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
•Kyle Thomas, aged 25, of Watkin Street in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
•James Heys, aged 42, of Poachers Lane in Warrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Long Haired Luke one line members to be sentenced in April

•Nicolas Mayer, aged 50, of Bexhill Avenue in Warrington pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and crack cocaine.
•Andrea Hampson, aged 50, of Toll Bar Road, Warrington pleaded guilty to supplying Heroin and crack cocaine.