Man jailed after drugs phone found in baby's cot

A man has been jailed after officers found a drugs supply phone hidden under a mattress in a baby’s cot.

Liam Poole, aged 23, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, was handed a four-year-and-one-month jail term on Friday (13 March) at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, after admitting being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin and being concerned in the supply of monkey dust.

It comes as officers carried out a search of a property in Longton in November last year.

More than £10,000 in cash was found in the property, with bags of white powder discovered on top of a kitchen cupboard, and two phones found hidden under a mattress in a baby’s cot. A further phone was found hidden amongst Christmas presents. Later analysis of phone messages showed them to have been used in the sale and supply of drugs, related to the Jack line, with 270 messages sent over a period of five days to around 70 different numbers.

Though Poole replied ‘no comment’ in interview, following his arrest, he later went on to admit his offending in court.

Speaking following sentencing, PC Alkins, of our city proactive team, who was the officer in the case, said: “Poole had clearly attempted to evade detection by hiding the phones, drugs and cash in the property.

“Thankfully we were able to seize and remove them from the property and detain Poole.

“I am pleased he admitted his involvement in the drugs line and that he was handed a jail term for his offending.

“We will continue to do all we can to apprehend individuals involved in the supply of illegal substances in Staffordshire and bring them before the courts.”

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