Drugs gang members aimed to ‘flood the streets of Rhyl’ with cocaine

Farrell Denton, Malcolm Griffiths, Ryan Hope, Philip Owens, Paul Price and Robert Thomas all received prison sentences at Mold Crown Court today (April 27).

Another two defendants, Kayleigh Crompton and Rebecca Entwistle, were handed suspended sentences.

A ninth defendant, Alan Williams, 48, of Forfar Road, Liverpool, has been remanded in custody, and will be sentenced tomorrow.

READ MORE:

Residents of Rhyl street blighted by antisocial behaviour urge help

Another exciting new attraction planned at Towyn holiday park

Meliden girl, 10, gets all-clear following brain infection recovery

Prosecuting, Brian Treadwell told the court that the gang’s operation involved cocaine being transported from Liverpool to Rhyl from September 2018 until May 2022.

A flat on Rhyl Coast Road, then Williams’ home address, was used as the main hub for the conspiracy between September 2018 and January 2022.

This was then replaced as the operation’s base by Meredith Crescent, Rhyl – the home address of Owens, 54 – after a safe was seized by police on January 8, 2022.

Owens’ address was then active until February 22, 2022, when arrests were made and a warrant was executed at his home.

Philip Owens (Image: North Wales Police)

There, “dealers’ lists” were found, as was 991g of cocaine of 77 per cent purity.

On the same day, Thomas, 53, of Maple Avenue, Rhyl, was stopped by police while driving a white Peugeot van.

He was detained in handcuffs after a black safe was found in the rear of the van, which he said was used for syringes he found.

But sniffer dogs found drugs in the safe which, when prised open at Rhyl Police Station, was found to contain a white bag containing benzocaine, cocaine, and creatine, as well as digital scales with cocaine residue.

In total, police seized 90 hand-written “dealers’ lists” during their investigations.

Mr Treadwell said that a “conservative” estimate, provided by a drugs expert, found that the total amount of cocaine supplied throughout the entire operation would have roughly amounted to a weight of 21kg, and a street value of potentially £4million.

NEWSLETTER: Get the latest stories from the Rhyl, Prestatyn and Abergele area sent straight to your inbox by signing up here.

Price, 55, of Pendyffryn Road, Rhyl, was “head of the organised crime group”, Mr Treadwell said, and facilitated the supply of cocaine from Merseyside to North Wales.

Paul Price (Image: North Wales Police)

He was said to have been in contact with all of his co-defendants, with the exception of Crompton, 35, of Hansby Drive, Liverpool.

Contact via mobile phones with Price would heighten during delivery times or collections of cash.

Hope, 38, also of Hansby Drive, was in a relationship with Crompton while the operation was active, and was seen visiting Price briefly following him delivering cocaine.

He worked alongside Price, operating in an organisational role, and would also arrange for cocaine to be supplied to North Wales from Merseyside.

Ryan Hope (Image: North Wales Police)

Owens was described as a “custodian of drugs and cash”, and would repeatedly attend the Rhyl Coast Road address for “minutes at a time”.

Griffiths, 64, of Vale Road, was observed attending Price’s address twice, posting items through his letterbox.

A “sub-dealer” within the conspiracy, he would frequently acquire cocaine in bulk, regularly showing an ongoing balance of about £37,000 on a “tick list”.

He would also hold meetings at the Rhyl Coast Road address with Denton, 34, of Gwynfryn Avenue, Rhyl.

Malcolm Griffiths (Image: North Wales Police)

Entwistle, 28, of Brunswick Street, Liverpool, acted as a courier, despatched primarily by Hope.

Crompton recruited her to the conspiracy after she suggested to her she needed drugs for personal use, but could not afford them.

She was then said to have acquired drugs from Crompton and Hope in exchange for her “bringing something back from Wales”.

Between November 2020 and December 2021, she would collect cocaine from Hope in Liverpool and transport it to Rhyl Coast Road.

A “willing participant”, she said she wanted to be engaged full-time in her role as a courier, and once made a delivery to Rhyl with her children seemingly accompanying her, “possibly for cover”.

Williams, Owens and Denton were said to be within Price’s “top-selling contacts”.

Denton was also a “sub-dealer” who would frequently acquire cocaine in bulk for onward supply.

Farrell Denton (Image: North Wales Police)

There was evidence that he had “chased another for money owed in this conspiracy”.

Thomas was a “trusted associate, driver and friend of Price”, and was often seen waiting for Price to return to the Rhyl Coast Road address.

Interviewed on February 22, 2022, he said he was approached by a friend to look after a safe later seized by police, for which he had no key and did not know the contents of.

He said he was not a drug user and accepted his wrongdoing, but would not identify the friend who approached him for fear it may cost him his life.

Robert Thomas (Image: North Wales Police)

In mitigation, Price was described as a highly-regarded employee with a community conscience, having previously carried out charity work and supported disadvantaged youngsters.

Hope had a previous conviction of possession of cocaine with intent to supply, the court heard.

Owens was said to have had a “strong work ethic” and was a “talented footballer” prior to a work-related injury in 2012, after which he began taking cocaine and became addicted to prescription drugs.

Griffiths’ own cocaine expenditure began “spiralling” to roughly £300 a week, selling a similar amount simultaneously; he said he was encouraged to become involved in the operation to pay off his own drug debts.

Entwistle and Crompton were both heard to be mothers of young, dependant children, and were said to be “on very thin ice”.

Denton, a “hard-working, family man, committed to his children”, had no previous experience of custody, having not offended since 2007.

Thomas, a health and safety manager, was described as having “clearly been directed as to what to do”, and had “no influence upon others” in the chain.

To Denton and Thomas, given their limited antecedence, Judge Niclas Parry asked: “What on earth were you two thinking of?”

Presiding over the case, Judge Parry issued the following sentences:

• Paul Price and Ryan Hope were each jailed for 11 years and four months.
• Malcolm Griffiths and Philip Owens were each jailed for five years.
• Farrell Denton and Robert Thomas were each jailed for three-and-a-half years.
• Rebecca Entwistle and Kayleigh Crompton were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for the same time period.

Entwistle was also ordered to complete 20 days’ rehabilitation activity requirements and 150 hours’ unpaid work.

Crompton will undertake 20 days’ rehabilitation activity and 200 hours’ unpaid work.

Judge Parry told the defendants: “Once again, communities in North Wales pay the price for the greed of conspirators sourcing drugs for those who undoubtedly profit in Liverpool.

“Those people have been assisted by the offenders; in this case, North Wales people who betrayed their community by making this business.

“The harm and misery caused by class A drugs has been recognised for many years.”

Detective Inspector Richard Sidney, of North Wales Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “This was a sophisticated and well-developed enterprise of criminal activity designed to flood the streets of Rhyl and beyond with illegal Class A drugs.

“Today’s sentences demonstrate the severity of the crimes being committed.

“This is a clear message to those that partake in the supply of drugs that you are not welcome in north Wales.”

Local Inspector Kevin Smith said: “I welcome today’s outcome, as it reflects the impact of organised crime groups on our local community.

“We will continue to disrupt and dismantle County Lines and any other activities that threaten harm and misery to our residents.”