Whitby cocaine dealers jailed after judge tells them they made a "calculated business decision"

Shannon Moore, 29, and Kyle Collins, 20, were wrapped up in the “filthy” trade which allegedly involved an organised crime group from Lancashire, York Crown Court heard.

Moore and Collins, both from Whitby, peddled the drugs on behalf of their drug bosses and Collins took direct orders from Moore, said prosecutor Michael Cahill.

The court heard they were involved in a “joint enterprise to sell (cocaine) directly to street users”.

Collins, of Helredale Road, was involved to a lesser extent, using Moore’s car to deliver drugs, said Mr Cahill.

Moore, of Silver Street, Whitby, admitted being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

Collins admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply on the basis that he had been “recruited” by Moore and was acting on orders.

Mr Cahill said Collins was homeless and living out of his car at the time of the short-lived drug enterprise, which lasted about a fortnight in the summer of 2020.

Just after midnight on August 15, police spotted a black Peugeot 207 being driven down Abbey Road in Whitby.

They saw a drug user approach the car before the Peugeot was driven off again.

The vehicle, which was registered to Moore, was stopped and only Collins was inside.

Officers searched the car and found dealer bags containing 11 “deal wraps” with a street value of up to £550.

They also found £400 in Collins’ coat pocket.

His phone was examined which showed he had been in regular contact with Moore.

“He was told (by Moore) who to deal to and (to) give details of these individuals,” added Mr Cahill.

He said Collins was “acting effectively under directions, being told where to go and what to do”.

Graham Parkin, for Moore, said although Moore was “obviously giving some direction to Mr Collins”, she too had been coerced and exploited by others higher up the drug chain.

He claimed that Moore had made “fairly limited” profits from the drug enterprise.

Moore took started using drugs following the death of her father and became homeless “with no job, no prospects”.

She accrued a £5,000 debt with drug suppliers and was told to “pay later” by dealing for an organised crime group from a city in the north-west of England which was “trying to muscle (their way) into Whitby” and “called the debts in”, said Mr Parkin.

Eddison Flint, for Collins, said his client was only just 18 when he was recruited by Moore.

He said that Collins started drug-dealing after losing his job as a window cleaner and becoming homeless.

He had since found work with a roofing company.

Judge Sean Morris said Moore’s involvement in the drug plot was aggravated by the fact that she had recruited “a young man who was just past his 18th birthday to distribute this filth around Whitby”.

He told her: “You got yourself into a mess but that’s what happens when you take drugs and you are still taking them recreationally.

“It does indicate that you still have not turned your back on the world of Class A drugs, but I do accept there was an element of coercion (by others).”

Mr Morris said that Collins had been exploited to a “degree” and had played a lesser role, “but you knew what you were doing”.

He told the pair they had both made a “calculated business decision” to get involved in “peddling this filth”, notwithstanding an element of coercion.

He added: “People need to know that if they turn to peddling Class A drugs they are looking at an immediate prison sentence because it’s too serious and it needs to stop.”

Moore was jailed for two years and three months. Collins was given an 18-month prison sentence.