Seven Sentenced For Three 'County Lines' Drugs Operations In Hastings

Seven people involved in three County Lines drug dealing cases in Hastings have now faced justice following joint operations by Sussex, Surrey and Metropolitan Police officers.

Jack Jones (main picture), 24, of London Road, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks was stopped by Sussex officers, working in co-operation with the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police, on November 9th last year while bringing heroin and cocaine from London to Hastings.

He was sentenced to three years at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday 27 January, having pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply, money laundering, and driving whilst disqualified. He was disqualified for a further 40 months for the driving offence.

His partner, Katie Albery, 31, of the same address, had been found in possession of the dealer 'line' mobile phone, 40 wraps of heroin and 111 wraps of crack cocaine, valued together at over £1500.

She was given a two-year sentence suspended for two years, plus a requirement to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.

Wayne Rosier, 41, of Clarence Rd, St Leonards, was given a 20 month sentence suspended for two years, after admitting supplying heroin and crack cocaine, and money laundering.

All three were found to be working together to deal class A drugs on the streets of Hastings and were also found in possession of over £2000 in cash, which was confiscated as the proceeds from their drug dealing activity.

In a separate case, Luke French (picture above), 28, of Morley Grove, Harlow, Essex was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on January 26th to two years and four months imprisonment having admitted supplying heroin and crack cocaine, and money laundering. He had been arrested at the Ashdene Service Station on the A21 after a joint investigation by Sussex, Surrey and Metropolitan Police officers on the evening of November 3rd last year.

Analysis of his mobile phone found him to be running a county drugs line from the Cambridge area.

Arrested at the same time were a man who received a police caution for being in possession of a wrap of crack cocaine, and a woman who was charged with possessing cannabis. She admitted the offence in court and received a £25 fine plus court costs.

In another case investigated by Hastings officers, Alisdair Parkes, 27, of Cooden Sea Road, Bexhill, was convicted on January 17th of possession of cocaine with intent to supply. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

These convictions followed Parkes being seen in a car by Sussex officers in Battle on March 26th 2020 and failing to stop. The vehicle was followed into a cul-de-sac where Parkes excited the car and tried to discard the wraps of cocaine he had in his pockets as he ran.

The officers eventually caught him and he was found in possession of a large amount of cannabis and a dealer line phone. The cocaine was recovered and was valued at between £300 and £500, the cannabis at between £300 and £500 .

Parkes was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment suspended for 24 months at Lewes Crown Court on January 28th. He must also carry out 40 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £1000 court costs and a victim surcharge.

Detective Sergeant Greg Montier said:

"These court results show once again how, working with colleagues in other forces, we continue to target drug dealers seeking to bring their illicit and community-disrupting wares into Sussex."

For information on how to spot County Lines drug dealing activity, and how to report it, see the Sussex Police website.