Jailing of addict marks end of Operation Holland

10:59am Friday 14th March 2008

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IT WAS the biggest police crackdown on drugs in York the city has ever seen.

Officers involved in Operation Holland spent months undercover posing as dealers and addicts in a bid to bring to justice those responsible for the tide of crack cocaine and heroin flooding into York.

But the huge effort was worth it with 35 drug dealers caught in the snare and every single one convicted. Now, after the last dealer has been sentenced, The Press can reveal the unprecedented police operation saw jail sentences of more than 80 years handed out.

100 per cent success rate

HE could have been just another heroin addict in court - but David Martin Rocks' jailing marked the successful end of a massive campaign against drug dealing on the streets of York.

The 18-month Operation Holland had a 100 per cent success rate with 35 people charged, 35 people convicted and jail terms totalling 87 years and three months handed out. Only one man avoided either an immediate trip to prison or a suspended prison sentence.

For five months, detectives went undercover on the streets to catch heroin and cocaine dealers in the act.

Inspector David Kirby, of York police, said: "As far as the operation was concerned, the whole team felt it has been an achievement because we have got 35 of York's criminals off the streets for a combined total in excess of 80 years, and a number of those were persistent offenders and it had been known that they had been openly dealing drugs in York for some time."

Police and the CPS worked so closely together in producing and presenting evidence that the vast majority of defendants pleaded guilty. Just one stood trial - and was convicted.

Higher courts advocate and special casework lawyer Alan Mitcheson, who co-ordinated the CPS side, said: "It is very satisfying. It means we have done the job properly."

Rocks, 24, of Burdyke Avenue, Clifton, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and was jailed for two and a half years at York Crown Court yesterday.

It was the second time he had been caught peddling hard drugs.

Prosecuting, John Edwards said an undercover police officer paid £15 to Rocks for heroin in Dead Man's Alley, Clifton, on February 12, 2007.

Higher courts advocate Colin Byrne, for Rocks, said the buyer and seller met by accident after Rocks had told the officer over the phone he didn't have any heroin.

The court heard Rocks' life had been "plagued by heroin". He had suffered family losses and his father had endured a triple bypass operation.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told Rocks: "If you are convicted a third time of a Class A supply like this, the court's hands are tied and I will be obliged to pass a minimum seven year sentence. That would have a dramatic impact upon you but the public are then protected by a drug dealer being off the streets for a long time."

Police deliver 'clinical and lasting blow'

by Mark Stead

A CLINICAL and lasting blow has been dealt to York's network of drug filth by the team who took on the city's heroin and crack cocaine-peddlers.

Months of painstaking preparation, diligent intelligence-gathering and nerveless undercover police work mean 29 Class A drug dealers are now pondering the consequences of their squalid "careers" in prison.

And while the officers who ensured Operation Holland hit these mini-empires of dirt hard realise it has not won York's war on drugs at a stroke, they know they have claimed crucial victories - with the help of people who became sick of seeing the evil trade conducted on their doorsteps.

"The main objective was to reduce the amount of dealing in heroin and crack cocaine in York, because our intelligence shows there is a definite link between those using these drugs and committing crime - from shoplifting to street robberies to theft from cars," said Inspector David Kirby, who co-ordinated the crackdown for York Police.

"We have 29 people who have gone to prison whose actions would have led to a large amount of acquisitive' crime. That means they cannot continue to commit these crimes, which will reduce the number of victims and hopefully the amount of heroin on the streets.

"Our intelligence-gathering got to the stage where we were able to identify there was a problem, and after that we had to decide this type of operation was proportionate and there was a need for it.

"That intelligence came from our own systems and from members of the public to identify where the problems were and who the main offenders and dealers were.

"The public have been very co-operative and we had intelligence from them identifying particular areas where we could target drug-dealing - people rang up saying there were groups hanging around on a particular street corner who might be up to no good, saw dealing openly taking place, or told us they had found needles or used foil in public toilets.

"We looked at the fact that heroin is affecting users' lives and they were committing crimes because of this, but also that it affects the quality of lives of other people who may live in or have to walk past areas where dealers and users congregate."

'Prolific' pushers snared by their own greed

Focused in Operation Holland's cross-hairs were a string of dealers providing a key link in York's drug matrix, whose trust undercover officers secured and whose greed snared them when they sold heroin and crack to those who would ultimately bring them down.

"Historically, the longer a dealer is allowed to continue, the more money they make and, over time, they can legitimise their business to a point where sometimes they become beyond investigation," said Insp David Kirby.

"These people might not have been the highest-level dealers, but they were certainly prolific and had a ready and steady supply. Although there are undoubtedly people above them in York's supply chain, they held a pivotal position in that chain. They were not driving around in flash cars or living in big houses, but they were certainly selling drugs to make money, not just to survive.

"Not all those arrested immediately admitted their guilt, but the evidence gathered was of such high quality that they usually admitted it eventually. The whole operation team feel it has been an achievement because we have caught 35 of York's criminals, a number of whom were persistent offenders who had been openly dealing drugs for some time."

With many dealers unable to function, Insp Kirby said more users will find their supply lines cut and hopes this will be an opportunity for drug support organisations to wean them off their addictions.

And he praised the Crown Prosecution Service and the legal system: "The CPS were very supportive and this was followed through by the courts giving the sort of sentences which I hope would make people think twice about embarking on a drug-dealing career.

"Although York has not got a drug problem to the extent of some other cities, drugs have an effect not only on the user but also their family and friends, because they have to deal with the fall-out. Some of the dealers who went to prison were young mothers, and now their children will be without them for a number of years.

"This operation has shown the people of York we are not going to accept Class A drug-dealing and we are going to target the people doing it. Hopefully they will get the chance of rehabilitation in prison and choose to make a fresh start in their lives."

Roll of shame

The 35 people caught by Operation Holland are:

• Serving seven years: Adrian MacLean
• Serving four-and-a-half years: David Isles
• Serving four years: Kevin Brill, Alan Broadhurst, Kevin McLean
• Serving three years and nine months: Alexander Rowat
• Serving three years: Gemma Bradford, Caroline Brolly, James Collins, Lee Dawson, Julian Kaye, Christopher Bossons, including six months from a previous sentence. Kaye is serving an extra three years for other offences.

• Serving two-and-a-half years: Lee Bossons, Kelly Broadhead, Robert Claridge, Pamela Clark, Bryan Clements, Ashley Done, Lee Franklin, Kevin Green, Kerry Healy, Jonathan Paylor, David Rocks
• Serving two years: Scott Berkley, Robert Birch, Katie Bradley, Lee Evans, Lee Moore
• Serving nine months: Kerry McCarthy
• Suspended sentence of 12 months: Lorraine Cumberland, Alex Hartwig, Lisa Moore
• Suspended sentence of nine months: Luke Agnew
• Two-year conditional discharge: Alex Eadie Deferred sentence: Lee Thomas