Judge brands drugs and guns as 'scourge of Yorkshire' as he jails drug-dealer for nearly 17 years

Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 8 how Craig Butterley, aged 35, of Fleury Road, near Gleadless, Sheffield, admitted possessing three guns, two counts of possessing cocaine with intent to supply, and two counts of simply possessing the class A drug cocaine all from between May, 2020, and November, 2020.

Judge Michael Slater told Butterley: "Drugs and firearms are currently the scourge of South Yorkshire. Guns are only used for limited purposes normally either to kill or to wound or to intimidate.”

Prosecuting barrister Michael Greenhalgh said that in May, 2020, a raid at a property on Stradbroke Avenue, Sheffield, uncovered firearms in a bag in a loft and Butterley’s DNA was found on two of the weapons including a revolver with live rounds and a gas pistol.

Mr Greenhalgh added that on July 13, 2020, Butterley was also found in a Mercedes car with two co-accused Billy Hume and Mia Johnson on Bochum Parkway, Sheffield, when officers found a revolver which had fallen to the ground and was under Hume’s foot.

Police also found a manbag with cocaine valued between £1,600 and £4,000, cash valued at £1,090, scales, empty bags, a phone and a dictaphone.

An address was also searched at Main Street, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, and officers also found cocaine linked to Butterley and £1,160 cash was also found.

Butterley also committed drink and drug-driving offences on July 29, 2020, when a bag was recovered with cocaine valued at between £410 and £825 with £300 in cash.

He pleaded guilty to: possessing a prohibited handgun; possessing cocaine with intent to supply; two more counts of possessing prohibited weapons, namely a service revolver and a gas pistol; simple possession of cocaine; one further count of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, and one further count of simply possessing a class A drug all from between May, 2020, and November, 2020.

Clare Ashcroft, defending, said Butterley had been a law-abiding man who had worked but he became addicted to cocaine and he owed others money and to support his habit he fell into supplying drugs.

Concerning the firearms, Ms Ashcroft added: “Both of these types of offending were in relation to the supply of class A drugs and the involvement in that enterprise that Mr Butterley engaged in for around about a year or so.”

Hume, aged 41, of Nowell Walk, Leeds, pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm after he had been in the Mercedes car that was searched by police.

Tim Savage, defending, said former serviceman Hume who has had mental health and alcohol problems had been unaware of the gun until police had arrived and it had dropped to the ground and he had placed his foot upon the weapon.

Johnson, aged 23, of Gervase Avenue, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs after she had sent a relevant drug-dealing phone message when police had approached the Mercedes car.

Defence barrister Rebecca Stevens said the young, single mother-of-two had reluctantly responded to a phone request for drugs and her intention had been to get rid of the enquiry.

Judge Slater, who sentenced Butterley to 16 years and ten months of custody, told him: “We are all familiar with the prevalence of drug-dealing in the county and the rewards it brings and the violence it attracts to local communities as a result.

"And that is why the courts view this so seriously when it comes to sentencing people involved in the drugs trade or involved in firearms as you have been over a period of months in 2020.”

Judge Slater also sentenced Hume to 10 months of custody suspended for two years with a rehabilitation requirement and an Alcohol Treatment Requirement, and Johnson was sentenced to eight months of custody suspended for 12 months with a rehabilitation requirement.