Dealer for drugs phoneline that took 60,000 calls jailed

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday the “Mick” line was one of three operating in the Chapeltown area of Leeds and in 12 months during 2008 and 2009 it received 60,000 calls.

Simon Kealey, prosecuting, told the court 80 per cent of the calls were for less than 30 seconds. Street purchase officers made 85 calls to the phone and were supplied Class A drugs as a result on 23 occasions.

On May 28, 2009 officers arrested Evertan Harris at his address in Low Lane, Horsforth, Leeds and found the mobile phone on him for the Mick line and he accepted he had helped to staff it on occasions over previous months.

The court heard Harris, who was first convicted for drug offences at the age of 15, was only released in January 2009 from a four-year sentence for possession with intent to supply.

Mark Foley, representing him, told the court because Harris was known to police he could no longer supply on the streets but it was the only business he had ever known. He was recruited to help with one of the dealer lines but was not the only person manning it. “He was a cog in a wheel.”

Harris, 24, admitted conspiracy to supply, he also admitted dangerous driving and driving while disqualified on a later date in 2010, and failing to attend court earlier this year.

Jailing him, the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said he accepted the line was being used before Harris was freed from custody and that he was not using it exclusively when he was recruited by others.

But it was estimated he might have been responsible for supplying around one kilogramme of drugs through the contacts he passed on.

In return he claimed to have received around £20 a day.

Mr Kealey, prosecuting, said Harris was on bail for the drugs offence when he was pursued by police while driving a Ford Focus in Harehills while disqualified. He was only caught after he turned into a cul-de-sac in Armley narrowly missing some children. He abandoned the vehicle and ran off but was caught when he tried to catch a cab away from the area.