Newcastle narcotics gang given prison terms

Nov 25 2008 by Alastair Gilmour, The Journal

NINE members of a city drugs ring smashed by an undercover police operation yesterday received prison terms.

Five others were given community-based sentences including suspended jail terms for their part in the racket, which came to an end with a wave of arrests in January.

The defendants – all Newcastle based – were trapped after police launched Operation Chopper last summer to trace the chain of supply of controlled drugs.

They include Robert Smith, 30, of Dunblane Crescent, Denton Burn, five years and seven months; Oliver Whyte, 30, of Strathmore Cresc, four-and-a-half years; Mohammed Khan, 27, of Silver Lonnen, three years; Antonio Gregorio, 41, of Beech Grove Road, Elswick, three-and-a-half years; George McGinley, 27, of Prospect Place, Elswick, three-and-a-half years; Dean Prendergast, 28, of Hoyle Avenue, two-and-a-half years; Rashid Gulab, 28, of Strathmore Crescent, two-and-a-half years; Crissan Bentley, 20, of Strathmore Crescent, 21 months; Waseem Ahmed, 27, of Cedar Road, Fenham, nine months jail term suspended 12 months with a 12-month community order and 120 hours unpaid work; Duane McGrady, 23, of Todds Nook, Elswick, 52 weeks jail suspended 18 months with a 12-month drug rehabilitation order and 18 months supervision; Nicola Crout, 34, of Adair Avenue, Benwell, 52 weeks imprisonment suspended 18 months with a 12-month drug rehabilitation order; James Dale, 26, of Bentinck Terrace, Benwell, received a community order with 12 months supervision and a three-month curfew; Lorraine McGinley, 33, of Hill Court, two-and-a-half years; Faisal Hussain, 20, of Canning Street, 28 weeks imprisonment suspended 18 months with an 18-month supervision order.

Nigel Abadom, 55, of Waterloo Street, Newcastle, admitted eight counts of supplying heroin. He was further remanded in custody after sentence was adjourned for medical evidence.