Total of more than 21 years in jail for Sunderland cocaine conspirators

Forty-six-year Mark Shergold was found guilty of conspiring to supply Class A drugs in September last year, after a two-week trial.

His associates, David Waterhouse, 60, and 70-year-old Dennis Cairns, had previously admitted their roles in moving large quantities of cocaine around Sunderland and selling it on for hefty sums.

Northumbria Police launched an investigation into their activities in October 2018 as part of Operation Sentinel, the force’s response to serious and organised crime, which eventually came to a head on January 14, 2019, as officers watched a meeting between courier Waterhouse and Cairns on Ribble Road.

Waterhouse, who was wearing a pair of black rubber gloves, was seen handing his associate a green and white carrier bag containing four kilos of cocaine, which was later found and seized at his home address.

Following the drop off, officers tracked Waterhouse to Southwick Road where he met Shergold.

Cairns was arrested later that day and Waterhouse intercepted on the A1, as he travelled home to Oldham. Shergold was also arrested at his home in Cliffe Park.

All three were taken into custody and their homes searched. Detectives uncovered a quantity of white powder from Cairns’ Peugeot and the four kilos he was given by Waterhouse was found inside a wardrobe.

Officers also recovered £16,000 cash and two blocks of cocaine from Waterhouse’s van and quantities of tablets and receipts showing deposits of more than £12,000 cash from Cairns’ home.

A subsequent search of a connected address on Ridley Street also uncovered three mobile phones hidden inside a nappy bag.

All men were later charged with conspiring to supply cocaine and Cairns, 60, and Waterhouse, 70, both admitted supplying a Class A drug in February 2019.

Shergold, 46, denied his involvement but was convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and two counts of possessing criminal property in September 2021.

"These men knew exactly what they were doing”

And the trio were all sentenced today, Friday, December 9.

Shergold was jailed for 15 years; Cairns, of Rhodesia Road, Red House, for 63 months, and Waterhouse, of Kingston Avenue, Oldham, for 308 days.

Speaking after the sentencing, Acting Detective Inspector Amber Renton from Northumbria Police’s Serious and Organised Crime team, said: “Today marks the end of a long-running investigation and I am pleased with the sentences handed down.

“These men knew exactly what they were doing and turned a blind eye to the harm illegal drugs can cause in our communities because they believed they were above the law and wanted to make money.

“We know that Illicit substances, especially those which are highly addictive, cause real damage to people’s lives and neighbourhoods. We make no apologies for our continued activity under the banner of Operation Sentinel, where we pursue those who have a role in supplying, distributing and dealing these awful substances.

“I hope these sentences show our communities how determined we are to tackle this type of criminality. We’d ask people to keep taking a stand against organised crime by reporting suspicious activity to us and not letting offenders get away with it.”