Latest news with #drugdealer
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Dean Mears Rhyl ring doorbell killer jailed for Catherine Flynn murder
The daughter of a woman brutally killed by a drug dealer has said her life "shattered" the moment she saw the murderer enter her mother's Mears dragged grandmother Catherine Flynn, 69, from her bed and stamped on her, breaking every bone in her face during the attack in October Flynn's daughter Natasha Flynn-Farrell said she watched helplessly after she received a doorbell camera alert of the drug dealer breaking into her mother's home in the seaside town of Rhyl in Denbighshire. Jailing him for life with a 27 year and 128 day minimum term, Judge Rhys Rowlands said Mears, 35, was responsible for a "savage, and quite ferocious and merciless attack". He said the recording captured on the doorbell camera "can only be described as horrific"."It was by all accounts a truly shocking and cruel way to end her life."Mears, from Kinmel Bay in Conwy, was found guilty of murder after a nine-day trial in Caernarfon in jury heard he had taken ketamine and cannabis before breaking into the frail grandmother's home - a woman he had never then smashed a window and entered the home, going straight to Mrs Flynn's could be heard screaming at her before the sickening sound of stamping was captured on the doorbell Flynn was taken to hospital after suffering extensive facial trauma and multiple fractures, where she died the following Andrew Jones KC said she had suffered serious health and mobility issues, and used a stairlift and a walking frame inside her was just 4ft 10in (1.47m) and weighed less than eight stone (50kg). Mrs Flynn-Farrell addressed her mother's killer in the dock on Friday. "You Dean Mears - you can't even look at me," she said. "You didn't just kill my mum - you killed a part of me."You Dean Mears took the light out of my life."I want my words and my face to be etched into your brain."She said she lived with the footage and sounds captured by the doorbell camera during the attack."I hear those thuds to her head, face and neck every day."It replays in my in slow motion - thud, thud, thud."That moment was the vilest, sickening moment of my life."How could you do what you did to my mum - my queenie. You should hang your head in shame."You are nothing but a coward. I'll never forgive you Dean Mears." Pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers told the jury Mrs Flynn's injuries were "the types of injuries you see in high-speed road traffic collisions".The doorbell recording suggested there were up to 15 blows from her admitted he had carried out the attack, but said he had no recollection of what defence team argued Mears had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), after being stabbed twice following a prison sentence for drug dealing. Speaking to BBC Wales before the sentencing, Mrs Flynn-Farrell recounted the moment she received the doorbell notification to tell her someone was at her mother's front door."It is the worst night of my life I have ever experienced," she said."My life just shattered in that second," she said. "As soon as I clicked on that notification, that was the moment my world crumbled." Mrs Flynn-Farrell was home alone as events unfolded a short drive away at her mother's house, and could only watch and listen until Mears left before she could phone the police."For those two minutes I had to watch that out. It felt like two hours. I was hysterical." Arriving at the house, Mrs Flynn-Farrell was kept outside while police went in to see what had happened to her mother."I did know it was serious but I was trying to tell myself it was going to be OK, that hopefully it wasn't as bad as what I'd heard."But it was awful. It was the worst outcome that could have ever happened for her - and for all our family." Mrs Flynn-Farrell said Mears was "not worth the air we breathe"."To be able to do that to a defenceless, 69-year-old, frail, seven stone little woman. She was like a little doll."He's a monster and he's a coward. Mrs Flynn-Farrell said her mother's murder has had a profound affect on her and those around her."There are so many lives he has ripped apart," she said."The ripple effect this has had - not just on the family, on the community, on complete strangers. It's been a whirlwind of emotions for everyone."She said she was still living with the impact every day."I find it hard most days to get up and go out. I don't want to see anyone, I've lost contact with my friends. "It's given me bad anxiety, depression, PTSD. I don't even watch the telly anymore, in case things trigger it."I'm living a nightmare still." Mrs Flynn-Farrell said she hoped the sentencing could finally bring some closure to the tragedy and wants to be able to help others facing family trauma in the coined the social media tag #JusticeforQueenie as the murder case went through the court system, as a platform to remember her mother and to talk about what had happened."It's not just for my mum - it's for everyone's Queenie," she said."I want this to carry on and be a platform against violence for women and girls. It'll be used to help other organisations, femicide awareness and things like that."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Rolex-wearing drug dealer dubbed 'Albus Dumbledore' who sold 'tropical, gelato and banana' cannabis is jailed
A Rolex-wearing drug dealer who went by the name Albus Dumbledore has been jailed after he was caught by undercover police collecting cannabis in an Aldi bag. Jacob Flavin, 29, used the Harry Potter-inspired handle to advertise and sell large quantities of the class B drug on encrypted messaging service Signal. He sold varieties of cannabis known as 'Tropical', 'Gelato' and 'Banana' for between £2,800 and £3,100 a kilo, Manchester Crown Court heard. Flavin was also caught advertising a kilo of 'super skunk' for £1,000 and shared a photo of the drug being held by a latex-gloved hand in November 2023. The 29-year-old, who was part of a five-strong gang of drug dealers, was eventually snared by undercover police, Manchester Evening News has reported. He was photographed by officers, who were monitoring the group's activities, collecting an Aldi bag which was believed to be 'full' of cannabis. Flavin was arrested at his flat in Salford, Greater Manchester, where police seized a Rolex watch worth between £6,000 and £8,000. Officers also found 'price lists' for the drugs he was selling on his mobile phone, alongside a list of debtors. Police have estimated that over a seven-week period in late 2023, Flavin and the other gang members were involved in the supply of around 180kg of cannabis. It is also believed the 29-year-old drug dealer was involved in the sale of cocaine, heroin and ketamine. Flavin was jailed nine years at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to four counts of conspiracy to supply cannabis, cocaine, heroin and ketamine. Judge Sarah Johnston said according to Manchester Evening News: 'So much of the suffering we see in these courts has it roots in this [drugs] trade and those who seek to profit from it.'
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Convicted Middleton drug dealer ordered to repay £200k
A convicted drug dealer must pay back more than £200,000 of his "ill-gotten gains" or face three years in Whiteley, of Alkrington Road North in Middleton, Greater Manchester, received a suspended prison sentence after admitting three counts of conspiracy to produce class B drugs, namely cannabis, in money he must repay is significantly more than the £3,800 presented at the original court case following a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Manchester Police said its proceeds of crime investigation proved three houses he bought were funded from his criminal activities and it also seized a vintage Ford Cosworth valued at £90,000 and a Transit van worth £50,000. Whiteley has three months to repay £218,443. 'Ill-gotten gains' Financial investigator Kelly Belfield said: "This case highlights that crime doesn't pay and we will come after criminals and take their ill-gotten gains."The case is unusual as Whiteley was only convicted of benefiting from £3,800 from his drugs business."However, using Proceeds of Crime legislation and carrying out a confiscation investigation, I have managed to bring this figure up to £218,443 which is a huge increase and a great result."She added: "If Whiteley fails to pay the money within three months, then he will serve an extra three years in jail - and still have to sell his assets and pay using the proceeds."Reclaiming cash this way not only disrupts criminal activity but it also directly benefits communities across Greater Manchester."These funds will be reinvested into vital community programmes and services through our asset recovery incentivisation scheme." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Scarborough dealer of 'dangerous' synthetic opioid jailed
A North Yorkshire drug dealer has been jailed for 11 years for attempting to distribute a potentially fatal synthetic seized by police from Brian Hollywood, 30, in January were initially thought to be class C Xanax, however further tests discovered they were class A of Spring Bank, Scarborough, previously admitted three counts of possession with intent to supply a class A drug and was jailed at York Crown Court on Tuesday. Det Insp Amber Carey, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "The risk that nitazenes pose is significant and Hollywood demonstrated he has no regard for the potential devastation he could cause when supplying such dangerous substances." Nitazenes are an "extremely potent" synthetic opioid linked to drug deaths all around the UK, the force deaths linked to nitazenes have been recorded in the county in the last two are nitazenes?The officer added: "Drug dealers like Brian Hollywood bring nothing but anguish to our communities."The tenacity and drive to secure justice by the officer in the case, supported by intelligence and neighbourhood policing team officers, demonstrates we will do all we can to clamp down on such offenders and take them off our streets." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Swindon drug dealer jailed after cuckooing victim
A drug dealer who was caught with Class A drugs worth more than £100,000 has been jailed for four years. Simon Huckvale, 36, of White Castle, Toothill, who was arrested in December at a house in Toothill, West Swindon, was also accused of 'cuckooing' - where the home of a vulnerable person is taken over by a criminal. During the arrest Swindon Crown Court heard he initially tried to run at police officers, before attempting to flee instead. He eventually pleaded guilty with intent to supply crack cocaine, cocaine and cannabis, being concerned in the supply of heroin, and for possessing criminal property. Searches of the property he was arrested at uncovered more than 200g of cocaine, 500g of crack cocaine, nearly 400g of heroin and more than a kilo of cannabis - an amount that could have yielded more than £120,000. Huckvale was jailed for four years at a sentencing hearing at Swindon Crown Court on 9 June. Speaking on behalf of Wiltshire Police PC Thomas confirmed his crimes had involved cuckooing for the purpose of supplying drugs, adding: "This practice often involves the most vulnerable in our society, who are then controlled by the criminal through the use of threats, leaving them feeling trapped in their own homes." "We also know from speaking to members of the public that Huckvale's arrest has had a significant impact on the supply of drugs within the community," he added.
