'Trusted lieutenant' jailed for SEVEN YEARS after police find drugs with street value of £100,000 in his home

William Trott, 39, was tasked to "deliver and takeaway" cash and cocaine at illegal exchanges, under the watchful eye of drug dealing chip shop owner Kenneth Hunter, 41.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the pair were identified as central figures in a conspiracy between October 2018 and May 2019 but were unaware they were both under surveillance by undercover police as part of a covert operation.

Their conspiracy was exposed when disqualified driver Trott used his car and officers pounced and arrested him in the Shiney Row area last May.

The arrest triggered a search of his home where a haul of two kilos of cocaine and 12 kilos of amphetamine, with a street value of more than £100,000 were discovered along with other items of drug paraphernalia.

Prosecutor Jonathan Walker told the court: "Hunter's mode of operating was to prefer to be in the background while Trott, the trusted lieutenant, would deliver and take away goods from the exchanges.

"Hunter would often place himself, in a black Range Rover, at the site of the exchange but slightly out of view so he could supervise and ensure the timely exchange and pick up of the money."

At an earlier hearing, Hunter, of St Paul's Drive in Houghton, who had admitted conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, was jailed for seven years.

The court heard how he had a string of other drugs convictions and since his last release from prison had invested in a speedboat, among other vehicles and a business named Cod Loves a Fryer.

Trott, of Hedworth Terrace in Shiney Row, who previously admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, possession with intent to supply class B drugs, driving while disqualified and with no insurance has today been jailed for seven years and three months.

Judge Amanda Rippon told him: "What is perfectly obvious is you had a very particular role, you were, as described, a lieutentant."

The court heard despite Trott's involvement in the drugs market, he was living in "abject squalor".

Tony Davis, defending, said: "This is a man who had nothing, he lived in squalor, he had no assets and when he was sent to work, as has been observed, there was always a person slightly behind him, observing from a distance.

"This is not a man who owned a boat, not a man who owned businesses, not a man who had a Range Rover. In reality, this was a man who simply had fallen onto difficult times and take an opportunity for very limited reward.

"He is not a sophisticated drug dealer."

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