Six years for prisoner who ran drugs gang from cell
Knight was a prisoner at HMP Grampian
- Published
A prisoner who managed a drug dealing operation from behind bars by mobile phone has been given six more years in jail.
Martin Knight, 31, directed members of a crime group from his cell at HMP Grampian in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, between December 2021 and March 2022.
Drugs recovered during raids which could be linked to Knight were said to be worth more than £900,000.
Knight was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He was caught after members of the organisation were arrested in raids across Scotland.
Detectives worked out that the people they detained had been in contact with Knight by mobile phone.
Prosecutor Brian Gill KC told judge Lord Mulholland of the drugs recovered by officers during the raids which could be linked to Knight.
He said that officers recovered cocaine with a maximum street value of £900,600, heroin worth £54,600 and more than £86,000 in cash.
Mr Gill said Knight performed a managerial role in an organised crime group involved in the supply and distribution of controlled drugs in Scotland using a mobile phone and Sim cards.
Knight admitted two charges of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin.
The gang that Knight managed was based in the Aberdeen area.
The court heard Knight had 23 previous convictions.
'Large in scale'
Defending, Shahid Latif told Lord Mulholland that despite his lengthy criminal record, Knight could change his ways.
Lord Mulholland said: “You managed this trafficking operation from prison and the trafficking operation was large in scale.
“Had you not pleaded guilty the sentence of the court would have been one of nine years imprisonment.
“I will discount this to six years.”
Lord Mulholland also ordered that Knight be made the subject of a serious crime prevention order for five years.