Jail for London dealer caught selling '˜life-destroying' drugs in Portsmouth

A DEALER who took over an addict's home and sold crack cocaine and heroin on the streets has been jailed.
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Londoner Sonny Doyle came to Portsmouth to peddle drugs to the city’s addicts for the TJ drug network, controlled from London.

Jailing the 22-year-old for four years, judge David Melville QC said: ‘You carried out a significant role in the supply chain of life-destroying drugs.’

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Portsmouth Crown Court heard police spotted a drug deal in Shirley Road, Portsmouth, before Doyle drove off in a car.

Sonny Doyle 22, was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court for four yearsSonny Doyle 22, was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court for four years
Sonny Doyle 22, was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court for four years

Barry McElduff, prosecuting, said police tried to stop him but Doyle abandoned the car and fled.

Around £675 in cash and 300 wraps of class A drugs were found in the car on April 5 this year, Mr McElduff said.

Exactly a week later Doyle was spotted leaving a ‘known drug user’s address’ in St Paul’s Road before more deals were observed by police.

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Officers arrested Doyle and seized a wrap apiece of crack cocaine and heroin, an iPhone and £180 in cash.

When police searched the address and found half an ounce of crack cocaine with a street value of £1,400.

‘There were clearly signs of cuckooing a vulnerable drug user, with drugs being run through county lines through the TJ network.’

County lines networks see dealers in major cities, including London, Manchester and Liverpool, organise the sale of drugs via a deal line telephone number, with recruited street dealers selling in target towns.

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Portsmouth has seen children as young as 12 recruited as street dealers. A team was set up last year to tackle a spike in drug-linked violence.

DS Matt Easton said: ‘The arrest and subsequent conviction of Doyle, from London, is evidence that we are continuing to make Portsmouth a hostile place for drug dealers.’

DCI Nick Heelan, who now heads up the team, said: ‘Tackling drug dealing in the city is one of our priorities; we’ll do everything in our power to get drug dealers off of our streets and in front of the courts.’

Doyle, of no fixed address, admitted four charges of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, two charges of possessing criminal property, and driving while disqualified and with no insurance.

Doyle has four convictions for eight offences, including drug dealing in 2016 in Portsmouth. Judge Melville ordered the cash be forfeited and banned Doyle from driving for three years.