Violent Scunthorpe drugs gang plead guilty to million-pound drugs network

A violent organised crime group who formed a million-pound drugs network are due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to offences at Hull Crown Court this week. The eight men appeared at Hull Crown Court on Wednesday, May 1, after being charged with a series of offences following their involvement in drugs and violent crime, whilst making an estimated £1,000,000 over a four-month period.

Seven of them pleaded guilty during that appearance, with the eighth pleading guilty today, Friday, May 3. An investigation was launched in January 2023, after we received reports from members of the public of a number of people stealing motor vehicles and committing burglaries across Grimsby and Scunthorpe areas.

Following these reports, a team of experienced detectives later identified that this formed part of an organised crime group who were involved in the supply of class A and class B drugs, leading to a spate of antisocial behaviour and violent crime. On Monday, February 6, 2023, eagle-eyed officers spotted a vehicle parked on Laceby Road in Grimsby which had made off from officers earlier in the evening and was being driven on false registration plates.

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Officers approached the vehicle and the driver made off. Following a short pursuit the occupants of the vehicle were detained, one of them being Gallagher who was subsequently arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary.

Gallagher was later released from custody on bail whilst officers continued with their investigation and after seizing his mobile phone, through phone data analysis, detectives uncovered an organised crime group who had documented their extensive serious and organised criminality through Snapchat. Through the intelligence gathered, including messages, videos, images, and audio notes, it showed that the group were involved in targeting cannabis grows which had been set up by other organised crime groups.

As part of this, the group would break into the premises armed with baseball bats, whilst making threats and assaulting the occupants. On occasion, the gang would disguise themselves and trick the occupants into believing they were police officers carrying out a raid on the property.

It was also identified that the gang used a thermal imaging device to locate heat sources within properties which indicated that the property was potentially being used to cultivate cannabis. Following these enquiries, it was discovered that the organised crime group had divided Scunthorpe into three areas, Town, Ashby and Westcliff, with a dedicated drug line being used to service each area and each drug line being under the control of each of the principal members.

As detectives continued to build a bigger picture about the organised drugs network a number of arrests were made. On Tuesday 23 May, an arrest phase was conducted, and the eight men were arrested and charged in connection with the offences and were all subsequently remanded into custody.

Following a two-day trial at Hull Crown Court, Keeton entered a guilty plea, and he alongside Gallagher, Pollock, Rhodes, Lowther, Haines, Cooling and Hemsworth, will now be sentenced on Thursday 9 May at Hull Crown Court.

• Bert Keeton, 22, of Grange Lane South, Scunthorpe entered a not guilty plea and a trial commenced on Thursday, May 2, however two-days into the trial, Keeton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B controlled drugs and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglaries.

• Tyler Gallagher, 22, of Berkley Court, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B controlled drugs and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglaries.

• Liam Pollock, 22, of Lodge Road, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B controlled drugs and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglaries.

• Charlie Rhodes, 27, of Grange Lane South, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B controlled drugs and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglaries.

• Michael Lowther, 19, of Buckingham Avenue, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B controlled drugs and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglaries.

• Joel Haines, 29 of Lodge Road, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B controlled drugs and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglaries.

• Josh Cooling, 29, of Hereward Place, Scunthorpe. pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply class B controlled drugs.

• Jamie Hemsworth, 29, of Dryden Road, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply class B controlled drugs.

Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Paul French said: “This was a lengthy investigation into an organised crime group who went to great lengths to distribute drugs and commit crime within our communities. It was identified that the group used the social media platform, Snapchat, to arrange and facilitate the criminality and that they shared messages, videos, images and audio notes with each other as they prepared and carried out the burglaries, prepared the crops and celebrated their successes.

“These messages, videos and audio notes provided significant evidence that the organised crime group were involved in the taxing of cannabis grows and allowed us to bring these violent criminals to justice. We have prevented significant amounts of drugs from being sold on the streets of Scunthorpe and the associated crime and anti-social behaviour that goes with this kind of offending.

“This organised crime group was made up of dangerous and violent individuals and I’m pleased that these men are being punished for their actions. I hope that it sends a clear message to those who think they can get away with committing crime in our force area.

“I’d also like to thank the public for their assistance, as by telling us about what is going on in your area, helps inform parts of our investigation and creates a bigger picture. We recognise the impact these types of offences can have on local communities, and we are absolutely committed to investigating these thoroughly.

“Through the hard work and dedication of our specialist teams, with the support of local communities, we will hold offenders to account – making the towns and villages of Northern Lincolnshire safer and stronger.”