Man jailed for drugs supply offences in Ellesmere Port

A man has been jailed for six years for drugs supply offences in Ellesmere Port.

Philip Stuart, of Durham Court, Ellesmere Port, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Monday 4 March where he was sentenced for being concerned in the supply of various drugs. This includes cocaine, cannabis, morphine, diazepam, alprazolam, pregabalin, and zopiclone.

On Thursday 2 December 2021, officers conducted a warrant at the 38-year-old’s address. But as officers forced their way through the front door, a man was spotted at a first floor window throwing a small white package out of it.

Officers located the package and found it was a bag of white powder and individual wraps. Stuart was the only person present in the property. A bag of cannabis, several mobile phones, digital scales, boxes and strips of prescription drugs, and £145 in cash was recovered from the property.

Stuart was subsequently arrested and released under investigation pending testing of the suspected drugs and examination of the mobile phones.

Testing confirmed the white powder was cocaine and had a potential street value of up to £930.

Examination of one of the mobile phones revealed messages consistent with being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs, namely cocaine, morphine, cannabis and benzodiazepines.

Stuart’s DNA was also found on the wraps of white powder.

On Thursday 5 October 2023, officers again attended Stuart’s home address and further arrested him for drugs supply offences.

He was found in possession of six wraps of crack cocaine. Digital scales with powder residue, rolls of plastic bags, and other drugs paraphernalia was recovered.

Stuart was subsequently charged on Thursday 12 October and later pleaded guilty to the offences.

Following the sentencing, PC Mike Rogers said:

“I welcome the custodial sentence handed to Stuart after a detailed investigation by Ellesmere Port officers. Even after being arrested and released under investigation for drugs supply offences, he continued with his offending and has now rightly been handed a lengthy spell behind bars.

“Illegal drugs have a hugely detrimental impact, and we are committed to doing all we can to remove those involved in the supply of such drugs from our communities.

“While Stuart is now off the streets, our fight is not over. We would urge anyone who has any information about suspected drugs activity to get in touch with us.”