Tattoo artist helped in scheme to ‘flood streets of Rhyl’ with cocaine

Kelvin Morris, 57, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for the same time period, at Caernarfon Crown Court today (February 16).

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

Seventh man jailed following multi-million-pound Rhyl cocaine operation

Last year, seven other people were jailed for their roles in the organised crime group, with another two handed suspended sentences.

From top left, clockwise: Paul Price, Ryan Hope, Philip Owens, Robert Thomas, Farrell Denton, Malcolm Griffiths. (Image: North Wales Police)

Prosecuting, David Mainstone told the court that Morris’ tattoo parlour was based on Rhyl Coast Road, near a flat which was used as the main hub for the conspiracy.

As police were watching the flat, it became clear that Morris was “heavily involved”.

In September 2021, for instance, he was seen getting out of a car with three other members; Rebecca Entwistle, Alan Williams, and Farrell Denton.

Williams and Entwistle were also seen accessing Morris’ tattoo parlour outside of opening hours or when he was not present, carrying boxes, bags and other items to and from the premises.

Morris was also seen “coming and going” at the Rhyl Coast Road flat, sometimes granting other members of the crime group access to the property by opening a side gate.

When officers executed a search warrant at his tattoo parlour on March 10, 2022, two mobile phones were seized, and scales, sandwich bags and a CD case were all found to contain traces of cocaine.

Analysis of the phone found evidence that Morris had not only been selling cocaine, mainly on behalf of Malcolm Griffiths and Denton, but also used the drug himself.

Such messages dated as far back as August 2019, Mr Mainstone said.

A safe seized from Robert Thomas’ van in February 2022 contained “tick lists” which suggested that Williams had stored cocaine at Morris’ tattoo parlour.

Alan Williams (Image: North Wales Police)

After being arrested, Morris denied any involvement in cocaine supply, or any connection with the group leader, Paul Price, or that Griffiths and Denton supplied him with the drug.

Defending Morris, who had nine previous convictions for 24 offences, including five for drugs-related matters, Gareth Bellis said he is now “totally drug-free”.

Mr Bellis said Morris suffered a stroke in 2022, which hospitalised him for 12 months and has since left him requiring use of a wheelchair and mobility scooter.

Morris also carried out charity work for stroke victims and dementia sufferers, Mr Bellis added.

He said: “There is zero risk of this defendant committing any further offences, whether serious or minor, because he is wheelchair-bound and a completely different person.”

Sentencing, Judge Niclas Parry said he would suspend Morris’ custodial sentence “as an act of mercy”.

Morris must abide by a electronically monitored curfew, preventing him from leaving his home between the hours of 6.30pm and 6am for six months.

“You were playing a vital role in getting the product to the customer,” Judge Parry told him.

Judge Parry also ordered that the scales, CD case, sandwich bags and phones be forfeited and destroyed, and that Morris pays a statutory surcharge.

Last April, the following sentences were issued in relation to the same conspiracy:

• Paul Price and Ryan Hope were each jailed for 11 years and four months.
• Alan Williams was jailed for seven-a-half years.
• 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.

Speaking after the April sentencings, DI 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.”