Drug-dealing lockdown North Shields salon owner jailed

A judge said Peter Greenhill was "dealing in misery"

A salon owner who ran a drug-dealing empire during the coronavirus lockdown has been jailed for 10 years.

Peter Greenhill, 52, who had three beauty shops in North Shields, was caught after police cracked a communications network between global dealers, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He admitted three counts of conspiracy to supply drugs including cocaine, heroin and amphetamines.

A judge said Greenhill was acting as a wholesaler and was "dealing in misery".

The court heard Greenhill had previously been jailed three times for dealing drugs, with offences dating back to 1996.

'Resorted to crime'

His barrister, Tony Davis, said after his latest prison term Greenhill had "turned the corner" and set up three legitimate businesses in North Shields.

But his Front Street salons Madame Hair, Madame Beauty and Madame Tan were hit hard by the coronavirus lockdowns so he turned back to drug dealing, Mr Davis said.

Judge Tim Gittins said many businesses struggled with the pandemic but used legal schemes such as furloughs, but Greenhill "chose to resort to return to serious crime".

The court heard between March and May 2020 Greenhill used EncroChat to arrange deals with major suppliers.

The judge said Greenhill's ability to buy a device and access the highly secure network showed he was a "leading" player running his own drugs organisation.

He said Greenhill would sell his drugs to other smaller wholesalers who would in turn supply street dealers.

Lives 'ruined'

Unknown to the criminals, police in Europe had cracked their way into the system and could see messages being exchanged which openly discussed large-scale drug deals.

Under the username Sawny Bean, Greenhill arranged to buy about 2.5kg of cocaine worth £42,000, about half a kilo of heroin and 85kg of amphetamines, the court heard.

When Northumbria Police raided his three businesses they seized £60,000 in cash, prosecutor Peter Sabiston said.

Judge Gittins said Greenhill, of Elmwood Park Court in Gosforth, Newcastle, knew what he was "getting involved in".

"You are dealing in misery in dealing with drugs," the judge told Greenhill, adding lives were being "ruined" by the trade.