Dealers who helped to flood the region with thousands of pounds of drugs are among those locked up recently.
Those supplying and addicted to drugs are among those who have appeared in the court recently.
Among them is a Darlington man who handled more than 20 kilos of cocaine, and an addict who helped a knife-wielding robber to steal booze, cigarettes and scratch cards from a shop in Shildon.
'Frosty Glove'
A Darlington cocaine dealer who was caught when the EncroChat network was smashed handled more than 20 kilos of the class A drug, a court heard.
John Jackson, who used the name Frosty Glove, on the encrypted mobile phone network dealt with more than £750,000 worth of the drug over three-month period.
When police searched the 42-year-old’s Darlington home they recovered drugs and cash.
Jessica Slaughter, prosecuting, said the defendant was heavily involved in the supply of cocaine along with other co-conspirators.
Messages recovered from Jackson’s handset highlighted the amount of contact the pair had as they moved up to £779,000 worth of the class A drugs before police raided his then-home on Roseberry Street.
Jackson, formerly of Darlington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine between March 28 and June 5, 2020, and possession with intent to supply cocaine on October 7 of the same year.
Judge Nathan Adams sentenced Jackson to ten years and six months in custody for his ‘significant involvement’ in supplying cocaine on a large scale.
Simon Martin
A drug dealer caught using a county lines mobile phone was working to pay off his own cocaine debt after threats were made to cut his 'head off’, a court heard.
Simon Martin would pick up the Class A drug from his supplier before delivering the cocaine to the customers and returning with the cash.
The 34-year-old drug addict used the mobile phone for at least two weeks last year when he was tasked with clearing his own £1,000 drug debt.
Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said the defendant was arrested at his home but the mobile phone connected to the drug supply network was never recovered.
Miss Atkinson said Martin told police he had no influence over anyone in the supply network adding ‘they threatened to cut my head off if I refused to do it – I was scared for myself and my family’.
Martin, of Gilmour Street, Thornaby, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and breaching his bail conditions when he failed to appear at a previous court hearing.
Recorder Judy Dawson sentenced the dad-of-three to a total of 20 months for both offences.
Shawna Kelly
A drug addict who helped a knife-wielding robber to steal booze, cigarettes and scratch cards from a shop has been locked up.
Shawna Kelly stuffed the stolen goods into a bag as her co-accused held a knife to the Shildon shop worker's stomach.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Michael Dent was the main instigator of the robbery of the Lifestyle Express store in Shildon on October 15 last year.
Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said the shop worker, Gnanavel Sivakaran, bravely disarmed Kelly’s co-accused before they both fled the scene.
Kelly, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article on October 15 last year.
Recorder Ayesha Smart sentenced Kelly to 30 months in prison for her role in the armed robbery.
Christopher Fretter
A drug dealer who was caught selling out of a crack house has been locked up for peddling the "evil" drug.
Police officers watched a known drug addict turn up at the flat where Christopher Fretter was staying to secure his latest hit, Teesside Crown Court heard.
The 45-year-old told the user to push the cash through the letterbox before he could pick up his crack cocaine and then officers moved in to arrest the defendant.
Adrian Strong, prosecuting, said police initially recovered 35 deals of crack cocaine while further searches revealed cocaine hidden on his clothing as well as around £800 in cash.
Fretter, of Bishopton Lane, Stockton, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A – crack cocaine and cocaine.
Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Fretter to three years in prison for both offences.
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