Carlisle women allowed Liverpool drugs criminal to stay in their homes

David Ball, 39, worked with his contacts in Carlisle while he was running a county lines drug dealing operation which involved the sending of “text bomb” adverts for heroin to dozens of local drug addicts.

Ball and Fiona Barnard, 57, and a second man, Christopher Cook, 33, who failed to turn up for his sentencing hearing at Carlisle Crown Court, all admitted conspiring to supply the class A drug heroin.

A fourth defendant, Deborah Hunt, 63, admitted allowing her home in Carlisle to be used for drugs purposes. Barnard also admitted possessing heroin, amphatamine and crack cocaine with intent to suppy.

Prosecutor Tim Evans outlined the facts. The conspiracy involved Ball travelling to Carlisle on seven occasions between February and April last year.

Mr Evans said: “Ball was the Liverpool end of the classic county lines conspiracy with Cook the main contact in Carlisle. There are numerous trips up and down Liverpool to Carlisle and Cook is the sender of the advertising text bombs in Carlisle.”

Ball needed to be housed when he arrived in Carlisle and during the early part of the conspiracy that was Deborah Hunt’s role, said Mr Evans. In text messages, Ball was referred to as Sam or Sammy.

The prosecutor read aloud several text messages linked to the dealing operation, including: “Got strong in” and “Bk on the road.”  The conspiracy unravelled on April 19 when Ball was arrested at Carlisle’s railway station.

He was asked to undergo an X-ray so police could search him for ingested drugs and initially he agreed but then withdrew consent. At 4.15pm, he retrieved a wrap of cocaine from his anus and attempted to snort it in his police cell.

Referring to the phone evidence uncovered by the police, Mr Evans said Ball’s arrival in Carlisle would coincide with “text bomb” adverts for drugs which would be sent to more than 40 local drug users.

There were also messages confirming that he was being taken to the homes of his Carlisle co-defendants, suggesting their involvement. Among the messages sent to him by Barnard were ones such as “Front door’s open for u.”

Barnard was also involved in managing cash transfers, the court heard. Mr Evans then outlined the offending history of each defendant. Ball’s record includes 39 previous offences for crimes such as dishonesty and cannabis possession.

Barnard’s only previous offence was a conviction for battery in 2009, while Hunt has seven offences on her record, including driving matters and criminal damage. She has a single drugs possession offence on her record.

Mark Shepherd, for Ball, said that at the time of the conspiracy the defendant was in the grip of an “out of control” cocaine addiction which had led to him accumulating a drugs debt, which he was attempting to clear.

But there was no evidence that he had led a lavish lifestyle funded by substantial financial gain from his offending.

The extent of his addiction was illustrated by what Ball had done on April 20 while he was being held at Carlisle’s Durranhill Police HQ, said Mr Shepherd. While being held in a cell, Ball had retrieved and then snorted cocaine.

“This is in essence is where he was at that time,” said Mr Shepherd. “That was the extent of the habit that he had.” But since his arrest, Ball had made “significant strides”,  and he was regarded as a trusted inmate at his prison.

Over past years, he had suffered significant mental health issues and self-medicated with cocaine and cannabis, and not sought professional help.

Elanor Myers, for Barnard, of Seatoller Close, Carlisle, said an underlying cause of her offending was the defendant’s reliance on amphetamine, which she used to self-medicate. 

Since her offending, she had sought help from medical professionals.

Referring to the defendant’s background, outlined in Barnard’s pre-sentence report, the barrister said: “In respect of both her physical and mental health, the pre-sentence report deals with that in some detail.

“She was subjected for a significant period – 15 years – to a long-term abusive relationship which has left long-lasting consequences. She lost the sight in her right eye; and she is on antidepressants.”

The lengthy period of abusive and controlling behaviour Barnard suffered was corroborated by the background information. Referring to the conspiracy, Ms Myers said Barnard had performed a “limited function under direction.”

The defendant was no longer using illicit substances, added the barrister.

The court then heard from defence barrister Thomas Worsfold, for Hunt, pictured below.

He began by pointing out that she was not formally charged with being a part of the conspiracy but simply with allowing her premises to be used by a drug dealer.

The barrister said: “She knew that a drug dealer was staying at her house and that he was travelling from Liverpool to and from Carlisle. She maintains that there were no deals from her house.”

Nor was Hunt, of Weardale Road, Carlisle, receiving any financial reward and she had not played an active role in the drug dealing that took place. 

“Her vulnerability was exploited,” said Mr Worsfold. “She knew Mr Ball previous to him starting this enterprise.

“She was reintroduced to him following a bereavement of a former partner. Mr Ball knew of that and exploited that fact.” Despite a history of previous heroin use, the defendant had not used the drug for 25 or 30 years.

Judge Nicholas Barker told Ball, of Aylton Road, Liverpool, that he was satisfied each of his seven trips to Carlisle included him bringing heroin. “This is not the most serious county lines operation but that does not meant that it is insignificant,” said the judge.

While in Carlisle, Ball stayed at the homes of Hunt and Barnard and the evidence from text messages – including the text bomb adverts – made it clear that there was a conspiracy to supply the drug underway.

The judge accepted that Ball was remorseful and that his activities in jail showed he was trying to better himself. He jailed Ball for 44 months.

Barnard's second set of drugs offences - possessing and intending to supply heroin, amphetamine and crack cocaine – were committed separately and before the conspiracy, the court heard. 

Those drugs were worth an estimated £20,000. Her claim that those drugs – except for the heroin – were for personal use was ridiculous, said the judge. She was jailed 42 months. Hunt was given eight months jail suspended for  18 months. The sentence includes a four month 7pm to 7am curfew.

There was in her case a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, said the judge.

The judge also issued an arrest warrant for Christopher Cook, whose address has been given during earlier hearings as Briar Bank, Belah, Carlisle.