Jail for drugs gang who flooded Teesside with crack cocaine and heroin

Jonothan Grant organised the supply of class A drugs that funded a lavish lifestyle spent on holidays, car rentals and hotel accommodation.

The 23-year-old worked alongside his partner Nichola Vout and recruited Craig Perkins, Amanda Eddy and Naomi Richmond.

Their criminal enterprise involved sending bulk text messages advertising the sale of drugs to users, meeting up in vehicles to pick up drugs and drop off money and use 39-year-old Richmond’s home as a drugs den to hand out crack cocaine and heroin to customers.

An investigation into their activities began in 2022 and led to a wider operation in 2023 – codenamed Turbine. Officers from Stockton’s Community Action Team and Cleveland Police’s Intelligence Hub gathered evidence and information that utilised surveillance techniques over a three-month period.

It began on 12 December 2022, when officers in Stockton attended to Hume House in the town centre following reports of concern for a vulnerable tenant who was a victim of ‘cuckooing’. A term used when crime gangs force their way into someone else’s home and take over the property to use as a drugs den.

On arrival, several people were found taking drugs inside the property including 38-year-old Eddy who was detained by police.

After being taken to custody and following a search, 15 individual deals of crack cocaine were recovered along with 18 more wraps that were street valued at £760.

Her mobile phone was digitally analysed by officers and found to contain bulk messages directing people with drug addiction to buy class A drugs at Hume House. The phone also contained text messages between her and Grant as well as Vout, aged 40, that centred on the supply of drugs.

The messages ran between 12 November 2022 up until the day Eddy was arrested.

Perkins, aged 48, would act as a courier travelling by taxi’s paid for by Grant and based himself at Eddy’s address. They would meet at a property on Carlton Close in Stockton or in a vehicle to collect the drugs and hand over the daily takings.

The court heard how he would access Hume House through an unlocked window.

Police discovered Grant had deposited £80,000 in cash at Post Offices across Teesside. The money had been earned through the supply of class A drugs and was being used to live an extravagant lifestyle while he was also claiming universal credit.

In eight months, Grant and Vout had stayed at numerous hotels in Teesside instead of living at home and spent almost £500 a week driving a Mitsubishi.

However, his spending came to an end when police executed a warrant at the property on Carlton Close and he was arrested along with Perkins.

Shortly before Grant was detained, he attempted to flee from officers until he fell over while discarding 67 wraps of crack cocaine, an estimated street value of almost £2,000.

Grant, of Brackenfield Court in Eston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and concealing criminal property. Eddy also pleaded guilty to crack cocaine and heroin.

A jury found Perkins, of Leybourne Terrace in Stockton, guilty of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

On Wednesday 19 June 2024 Grant was sentenced to six years and two months, Perkins was sentenced to four years and Eddy was sentenced to 27 months.

Vout, of Brackenfield Court in Eston, and Richmond, of Wrensfield Road in Stockton, will be sentenced on Friday 27 September.

Detective Inspector James Allen, from Cleveland Police’s Intelligence Hub, said: “This investigation stemmed from intelligence being received regarding drug activity, and the exploitation of vulnerable people who were being cuckooed at the property on Hume House.

“It followed a covert operation into the movements of an organised crime group led by Grant.

“The range of evidence gathered showed the criminal network exploiting vulnerable people with severe addiction through the supply of crack cocaine and heroin on a daily basis.

“Grant and his partner were reaping the rewards and living a lifestyle that was well above their means. Meanwhile our community were experiencing the additional crime that often comes with drug dealing including anti-social behaviour, theft and burglary.

“We are continuing to crack down on serious and organised crime and be relentless in pursuing those who bring it to our community. I’d encourage people to understand the signs to look out for and most importantly to report it. No matter how small you think it may be, it can lead to a wider investigation just like Operation Turbine and jail for those involved in this crime.”

If you have information on drug activity, please call Cleveland Police on 101 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.