Nine admit being part of Kendal drug-dealing gang (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Nine admit being part of Kendal drug-dealing gang

5:07pm Thursday 20th May 2010 in Heysham news

NINE men have admitted being part of a gang which openly sold hard drugs on the streets of Kendal.

They were arrested in October last year as part of “Operation Sheffield”, a major investigation in which undercover police watched as drugs were sold – often blatantly, on the street – from houses in the town’s Waterside area.

Those who admitted their guilt, at Carlisle Crown Court this week, include David Richards, 24, of Whinlatter Drive, Kendal, and Paul Harrison, 27, of Littledale Avenue, Heysham – said by prosecutors to be the key organisers.

Five men said to have been among a network of sub-dealers have also pleaded guilty.

They were Christopher Harrison, 23, and his brother Michael Harrison, 22, both of Singleton Park, Kendal; James Hinckley, 27, of Kirkbarrow, Kendal; Ryan Palmer, 21, of Underley Avenue, Kendal; and Robert Dias, 19, of Hutton Close, Burton-in-Kendal.

Dean Tarry, 32, and Nicholas Anderton, 23, both of Westminster Road, Morecambe, admitted helping the gang by driving other members to Liverpool to pick up consignments of drugs.

All nine pleaded guilty to conspiring with each other, and others, to supply class A drugs.

Prosecuting counsel Tim Evans said the gang were involved in the “large-scale” supply of crack cocaine, heroin and cocaine.

The men were all remanded in custody and will be sentenced on June 25.

The judge warned them to expect long prison sentences.