Thrapston man jailed for five years for running huge Class A drug dealing operation

A man, who admitted to running a large Class A drug dealing operation in Thrapston has been jailed for five years.

Lewis Manning, 24, of Charles Street, was stopped by police in Thrapston on April 16 this year and was found to be in possession of £4,500 worth of cocaine and cannabis as well as £2,500 in cash.

An investigation into Manning's activities by the Serious and Organised Crime Team (SOCT) at Northamptonshire Police revealed that he had been dealing Class A and B drugs for months. He did all of this while under the terms of a community order imposed by a court following his conviction for assault in 2019.

Manning pleaded guilty to five charges in relation to drugs offences at a court hearing on June 2 and appeared at Northampton Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, July 2.

Sentencing, Recorder Michael Auty said: “The supply of drugs is a wicked trade which is a blight on the lives of so many. Those involved must understand that there is a heavy price to pay.”

The offender was jailed for two years for offering to supply cocaine and 18 months for offering to supply cannabis to be served concurrently.

He was jailed for a further three years for possession of cocaine with intent to supply, to run consecutively.

Manning was sentenced to 18 months for possession of cannabis with intent to supply and another 12 months for possession of criminal property relating to the cash seized. Both of these sentences are also to run concurrently, making a total sentence length of five years.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Sergeant Keith Morson of the SOCT, said: “I am very pleased and satisfied with the conviction and sentencing of Manning.

“The investigative team put in a lot of hard work on this case. The strength of the evidence presented to the court has shown that he had been supplying Class A and B drugs for a long period of time and now he faces the serious consequences of this.”

Anyone wanting to report a drugs offence should call Northamptonshire Police on 101 in a non-emergency and 999 if it is an emergency.