Gloucester 'crime family' jailed over drugs network
- Published
Kieran Robinson ran a drugs operation from his prison cell using illegal mobile phones
The head of a "crime family" who ran a drugs ring from prison has been jailed for 10 years and six months.
Kieran Robinson co-ordinated the network, which included his mother and other relatives, from HMP Bristol using mobile phones.
He oversaw the supply and distribution of crack cocaine and heroin worth about £500,000, Gloucestershire Police said.
Det Insp Ian Fletcher said it was "very much a family set-up" which "supplied a good majority of drugs" in Gloucester.
Robinson and 13 fellow gang members were sentenced after they admitted various drug trafficking and money laundering offences.
Kieran Robinson (l) ran a drugs network out of prison helped by his mother Sacha Nicholls (centre) and his brother Ashley Nicholls-Perry (r)
The final members of the group were sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court.
Among them was:
Robinson's mother Sacha Nicholls, of Ince Castle Way, Gloucester. She was given a six-week jail term, suspended for a year, for money laundering
His brother Ashley Nicholls-Perry, of Ince Castle Way, was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court and received four years and six months for supplying heroin
His half-brother Nahom Kidane, of Park End Road, Gloucester, received five years and eight months for supplying crack cocaine and heroin
Robinson launched his network in June 2016 while serving a sentence for possession of a sawn-off shotgun.
He smuggled at least 10 different mobile phones into prison and made thousands of phone calls to criminal contacts.
Family friend Julian Bell, 40, supplied the Class A drugs wholesale to the Gloucester gang.
Police said he moved at least £500,000 worth of crack cocaine and heroin into the city.
Bell, of Dover Road, Birkdale, Merseyside, was also sentenced to 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to supplying crack cocaine and heroin.
Julian Bell (L) and Kieran Robinson (R) knew each other through Robinson's mother. Police said Bell is believed to be the head of the Longsight Crew a Manchester based crime gang
Seven other members of the gang, who also pleaded guilty, were sentenced to:
Shareen Randles, Parker Street, Birmingham: Six years for conspiring to supply class A drugs
Kiano Haughton-Jones, HMP Bristol and Portland: Four years for supplying crack cocaine and heroin and a further count relating to the use/possession of a mobile phone whilst in prison
Harry Wells, Deans Way, Gloucester: Six years and 10 months for supplying crack cocaine and heroin
Jordan Ireland, Dingewell, Gloucester: Six years for conspiracy to supply heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine
Jordan Lovesey, Underhill Road, Gloucester: Two years and eight months for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin
Victoria Mawson, St Oswalds Road: Two years' jail, suspended for two years, with an 80 hour community order for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin
Amaan Khan, Sandygate Terrace, Bradford: One-year community order for money laundering
Paul Bedford was sentenced to two years and six months conspiracy for supplying heroin at an earlier hearing at Gloucester Crown Court.
Omari Martin, who admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin, and using a mobile phone whilst in prison, will be sentenced in March.
Drug dealers Omari Martin (foreground) and Kieran Robinson posed for a selfie inside HMP Bristol using an illegal mobile phone