A cocaine dealer who “peddled misery” in Harrogate has been jailed for nearly three years after being snared by an undercover cop posing as a drug addict.

Jack Milner, 25, bragged to the officer that he was “making a good wage” from his trade but he was being played from the outset, York Crown Court heard.

Milner supplied cocaine to the plain-clothed officer on three separate occasions in December 2019, said prosecutor David Povall.

Mr Povall added:

“The officer was part of a wider operation focusing on county lines (drug networks) and it appears the defendant has crossed their sights.”

He said although Milner wasn’t involved “in that level of criminality”, he was working with others to supply the Class A drug.

The undercover officer, who used a pseudonym, was introduced to Milner on December 9 when he was supplied with cocaine. 

The following day, the officer called Milner to arrange another deal and he was “again supplied with (cocaine)”.

On the third day, the officer rang the same number and spoke to a different man who supplied him some wraps of heroin and cocaine.

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The court heard that Milner only supplied cocaine and was not involved in the dealing of heroin. However, the officer later saw Milner with this “second man…giving him permission to supply the officer with a further wrap”.

Milner, of Harehills Lane, Leeds, was duly arrested and found with a “burner” phone – a cheap, pre-paid mobile which criminals often use to evade detection.

He initially denied any involvement in Class A drug-dealing and maintained his innocence until the day of trial in June, when he finally admitted supplying cocaine.

Living on the streets

Nick Cartmell, mitigating, said Milner was living on the streets with his girlfriend at the time and had pneumonia. 

He said although Milner clearly made a “quite significant” financial gain, it was simply to buy his “next McDonald’s (meal)…and not going hungry”.

Mr Cartmell added:

“He was a fool and he has a penalty to pay.

“The defendant appears to have been operating a telephone number for the supply of drugs with others and been directly involved in handing them over to addicts.”

He said that Milner stood to make a “significant financial gain” although the amount was unknown.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, told Milner: 

“You were peddling misery on the streets and…that is very serious.

“You said to the undercover officer that you were being paid a good wage for what you were doing. In my book, peddling Class A drugs is so serious that there has to be an immediate prison sentence because there has to be a recognition of deterrence for others. 

“You were out and about distributing this filth on the streets. Who know how many lives you wrecked?”

Milner was jailed for two years and nine months. He will serve half of that sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence. 

Police seized a large quantity of suspected class-A drugs, a machete and a knife after stopping a car near Harrogate last night.

Three men from Leeds, all aged 18, were arrested after police found the substances within one of the vehicle’s door panels.

Officers from North Yorkshire Police‘s Expedite team, which specialises in tackling county lines drug dealing, made the stop on the outskirts of Harrogate following intelligence reports.

A police statement today said:

“All three occupants gave differing stories about why they were in the area and were arrested.

“Police took the suspects and the vehicle to a police station for a full search and found a significant amount of what is believed to be class-A drugs stashed in the door panel.

“The substance has been sent away for lab analysis as part of the investigation.

“Officers also recovered and seized a machete and kitchen knife, along with other drugs, cash and items commonly associated with drug dealing.”

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A teenager has been arrested after police seized about 500 cannabis plants from a house in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police swooped on the property in Harlow Hill on Friday after being alerted by residents.

They forced entry and seized the plants and other items linked to drug production.

Officers from Expedite, a police team that tackles county lines drug dealing, and the Harrogate Safer Neighbourhood Team, were involved in the operation.

The 18-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of drug offences and remanded in custody.

He appeared in front of magistrates the next day and is due to appear in front of a judge at York Crown Court next month.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:

“Information supplied by the community is just one of many ways we’re ensuring North Yorkshire stays the safest county in England.

“But it’s a vital source of information for any police force.

“If you have concerns about drug activity in your community, tell us by visiting our website and clicking ‘report it’, or call us on 101.

“You can also share information anonymously with the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

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A man has been arrested in Harrogate on suspicion of a drug offence and assaulting a police officer.

Officers from North Yorkshire Police arrested the man, who is in his 30s, after stopping a suspected drug deal in the town centre.

The man was charged with assaulting a police constable after allegedly kicking the officer during arrest.

He is expected to appear before magistrates court at a later date.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Officers on patrol saw the two men acting suspiciously and they were stopped.

“One of the men was detained after they found what is believed to be crack cocaine in his possession.

“He was arrested, taken into custody and later released under investigation so the substance can be sent off for laboratory analysis.

“He was also charged with assaulting an emergency services worker and is due to appear in court at a later date.”

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Pinewoods Conservation Group has urged people to report anti-social behaviour after rough sleepers and drugs were found in the woodland.

Pictures seen by the Stray Ferret show Harrogate Borough Council staff moving a tent, which had been set up in the woods.

Inside the tents were drug paraphernalia and rubbish left in the woodland, including food and sleeping bags.

Other pictures showed graffiti defacing the Pinewoods map.

The graffiti on the Pinewoods map.

The borough council and North Yorkshire Police were both alerted to the rough sleepers this month.

The tents were later moved, however the Stray Ferret understands the process took longer than expected due to the availability of council street cleansing teams.

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A man in the 96-acre woodland was detained by police last week after residents reported gunshots being fired. But he was later released without charge.

A spokesperson for the Pinewoods Conservation Group said it had reported a number of anti-social behaviour incidents in recent months.

They said:

“Whilst the recent reported incident fortunately didn’t materialise into anything serious we are still asking our members and visitors to report anything suspicious and any anti-social behaviour to the police via 101, or 999 if an emergency, and Harrogate council customer services. 

“We have reported a number of incidents in recent months from graffiti, illegal campers, groups congregating and setting fires plus clear evidence of drug use. It is only with the help of others we can continue to keep the Pinewoods a safe and enjoyable area for the community.”

A council spokesperson said: 

“We have accommodation and support available for all rough sleepers.

“Once we are made aware of someone sleeping rough in the Harrogate district, our housing options team work in partnership with the police and partner agencies in an attempt to persuade them to accept support.

“We have hostels in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough and have most recently opened Fern House in Starbeck, our purpose-built temporary accommodation with 19 self-contained bedrooms. Additional to this, we can offer a complete support package for individuals who are homeless which includes health and wellbeing, support for any mental health issues, financial guidance as well as any further advice or information they may require.

“As a result of this holistic approach it means that we can try to identify the cause of each individual’s circumstances in a bid to help them find permanent secure accommodation.”

A court has closed down a Harrogate council house for three months following claims a drug-dependent woman was being exploited by drug dealers.

Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the property on Cawthorne Avenue, applied to Harrogate Magistrates Court for a closure order on the property under Section 80 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2014.

A notice was served this week at the one-bedroom property, which has been occupied by a 27-year-old female tenant, who was named in court, since June 2021.

Harrogate Borough Council solicitor Lynne Ashton told the court yesterday the “draconian order” was necessary due to the tenant’s spiralling addiction to class A drugs and the fact that known dealers and users were regularly seen visiting when she was not there.

The court heard how council housing staff have made repeated attempts to visit the tenant due to ongoing problems at the house, which have included threats of violence towards neighbours.

Ms Ashton said there was intelligence that the house was being used as a crackhouse and the tenant “appeared to be the victim of cuckooing”.

Cuckooing is when drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person in order to use it as a base for drug dealing.

The tenant did not attend court to offer a defence.

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Squalid conditions

Ms Ashton read out a witness statement from a North Yorkshire Police officer who visited the property in April and found over 200 used needles in a bag.

The statement described the squalid conditions at the property, including a double mattress on a concrete living room floor with needles and other drug paraphernalia scattered around.

The officer’s statement said:

“I was disgusted. It was one of the worst houses I’ve ever been in my career as a police officer”.

Ms Ashton also told the court that the house was near Willow Tree Primary School and there were concerns about used needles being left outside when children walk to school.

The court agreed to close the property for three months, effective immediately.

Ms Ashton said the tenant will be offered a place at Fern House, a specialist hostel for homeless people in Starbeck operated by Harrogate Borough Council.

Four men have been arrested in an operation targeting suspected cocaine dealers in Harrogate.

The action follows an investigation by North Yorkshire Police’s organised crime unit into a gang suspected of bringing cocaine and cannabis into Harrogate and the surrounding area.

Warrants were carried out across Harrogate yesterday afternoon when the men were arrested and officers seized suspected cocaine, bulking agent, cannabis, cash, mobile phones and drugs paraphernalia.

The arrested men include one aged 22, from London, one aged 34 from Portsmouth, and two aged 37 and 40 from Harrogate. All four were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

The 22-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

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The 34-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class B drugs and the 37-year-old also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to produce class B drugs.

All four remain in police custody for questioning.

Detective Inspector Fionna McEwan, of North Yorkshire Police’s organised crime unit, said:

“The latest action follows six months of painstaking information gathering behind the scenes.

“This work is not always visible but I can assure local people that we continue to work hard to disrupt organised crime and relentlessly pursue those believed to be involved.

“If you suspect drug dealing in your neighbourhood, or you believe someone is being exploited, please don’t hesitate to make a report to us in confidence, or anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers. Every piece of information, no matter how small, helps to inform a bigger picture.”

Reporting information about drugs

Anyone with any information is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room.

If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police say the signs of drug dealing can include:

Increased callers at a property at all times of the day or night
Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
Anti-social behaviour at a property
Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
Drug-related rubbish – small plastic bags, syringes
Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
Get help for drug and alcohol addiction

A motorist whose driving caused concern to a member of the public was arrested by police in Harrogate after giving a positive drugs test.

The member of the public has been praised by North Yorkshire Police for contacting them about the way in which the vehicle was being driven.

In a  Facebook post, which included a photograph of the the roadside wipe test kit that had been used, police said:

“The driver, a man in his 20s, gave this positive reading for cocaine and white powder was located during a search of the vehicle.

“He was arrested and a blood sample has been obtained which will be sent off for analysis.”

The motorist was stopped by police after a member of the public raised concerns about the standard of his driving

“The consequences could have been much more serious – so a huge thank you to the person who called us.

“We always say if you are concerned about someone’s driving, call us and in this case, earlier this week, a motorist was stopped by one of our officers after a member of the public contacted us concerned about the standard of their driving in Harrogate.”

The government warns motorists about use of drugs and driving, saying:

“It’s illegal to drive if either:

• you’re unfit to do so because you’re on legal or illegal drugs
• you have certain levels of illegal drugs in your blood (even if they have not affected your driving)

“The police can stop you and make you do a ‘field impairment assessment’ if they think you’re on drugs. This is a series of tests, for example asking you to walk in a straight line. They can also use a roadside drug kit to screen for cannabis and cocaine.

“If they think you’re unfit to drive because of taking drugs, you’ll be arrested and will have to take a blood or urine test at a police station.

“You could be charged with a crime if the test shows you’ve taken drugs..

Two drug dealers have been sentenced after being caught in Harrogate with cocaine worth £2,500.

Darren Walker, 44, and Hannah Sharrett, 32, admitted to possessing the drugs and a small amount of cannabis.

The pair were stopped by police in a car on Leeds Road on April 16, 2020, heading into Harrogate.

A search located two bags of cocaine in the glove box and a further bag under the passenger seat – with a street value of more than £2,500. 

A further small amount of cocaine was found in Sharratt’s possession, and a small amount of cannabis in a car door pocket.

Police seized and examined Walker’s phone, which showed him arranging the sale and transportation of drugs for street-level distribution.

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Walker, of Darley, Harrogate, was sentenced to 44 months in jail for possession with intent to supply cocaine. 

He was also disqualified from driving after being found to be under the influence of cocaine.

Sharratt, of Fairfax Avenue, Harrogate, was given a suspended sentence totalling 24 months for being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and possession of cocaine and cannabis.

PC George Frost, from North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite Team in Harrogate, said: 

“We are working tirelessly to combat criminal exploitation and drug supply in the area, and will continue to proactively target those who would seek to gain from the sale of harmful illegal drugs in our communities.

“This court result sends a clear and robust message that the sale of Class A drugs on the streets of North Yorkshire will not be tolerated.”

An inquest heard that a “fatal selection of drugs” was found in the body of a 40-year-old Harrogate homeless man.

Matthew Luke Chandler, a resident at Harrogate Homeless Project‘s hostel on Bower Street, was found dead by staff on August 20, 2021.

Staff grew concerned after Mr Chandler had not been seen since the previous evening. After discovering him unconscious they performed CPR but he was certified dead by paramedics at 4.40pm.

Yesterday’s inquest in Northallerton heard Mr Chandler had been homeless “most of his adult life” and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2014.

His GP said he had a history of drug misuse and had been previously referred to substance misuse services in North Yorkshire.

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Coroner John Bainbridge read evidence from the police, which found no signs of a struggle or disturbance.

The police statement added that besides pain relief medication prescribed to Mr Chandler after he broke his leg, there were no other drugs to be found in his room at the hostel.

Mr Bainbridge added Mr Chandler did not leave a note and there was no indication from friends and others living in the hostel that he was thinking of ending his life.

The coroner said he would disregard suicide as a cause of death because there was no evidence to indicate Mr Chandler intended to end his life.

Concluding the inquest, Mr Bainbridge said:

“A toxicology report found a fatal selection of drugs in Mr Chandler’s system that contributed to his death. Therefore I believe it is safe legally and scientifically to make a conclusion that his death was drug related.”