Trio found with stash of cocaine and heroin during Shrewsbury drugs raids

A number of expensive stolen mountain bikes were also recovered from one of the flats in the Ditherington area of the town.

Officers found a number of 'dealers lists' during a search of the flats in Whitehouse Gardens in February this year.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court 23-year-old Jamie Lloyd was jailed for three years for his part in dealing crack cocaine and heroin.

The two other defendants, Callum Grimster, 18, and 40-year-old Nigel Smith, were both given suspended prison sentences.

Judge Jim Tindal said the defendants had been involved in "classic street dealing" and that Lloyd had played a leading role and had connections further up the chain in the drugs world.

The court heard that Lloyd had a substantial record and had already been recalled to prison for breaching a 24 week suspended sentence imposed in October, 2015.

Lloyd, from Merseyside, but of no fixed address, and Grimster, of Fonthill, Liverpool, had both admitted two charges of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Grimster, who appeared in court via a video link, was given two years at a young offenders' institution, suspended for two years and will be subject to a three-month curfew and must complete 150 hours unpaid work.

Smith, of Whitehouse Gardens, had admitted a charge of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and possession of stolen property.

He was given a two year sentence suspended for two years and was made subject of a nine-month drug review and rehabilitation programme.

The court was told police went to two adjacent flats in Whitehouse Gardens on February 17 and found Lloyd at one of the flats - rented by his sister - along with Grimster.

Lloyd was in possession of £30 in cash and 26 wraps of crack cocaine worth up to £520 and 20 wraps of heroin worth around £200 which were inside a bin-liner.

Mr John Evans, prosecuting, said a further £150 was found in a bedroom drawer and Grimster was in possession of £30 in cash, a quantity of cannabis and five folded sheets of paper which were dealers lists.

He said they contained customers' names and appeared to cover activity over a five-day period, and also listed details of household goods bought, including bedding and kitchen items.

Mr Evans said Smith lived in the next-door flat where officers found five stolen mountain bikes.

Smith had claimed the machines "belonged to the Scousers" but the prosecution said he was receiving drugs in return for looking after the bikes, and knew they were stolen.

A Voodoo bike worth £600 stolen from a shed last year was recovered along with another mountain bike worth £400 that was stolen from a passageway two days before the police raid.

Mr Kevin Jones, for Lloyd, said that his client had said "drugs had been his life" and he had been motivated by gain, but had not put any pressure on Smith.

Mr Brendan Reedy, for Grimster, said his client had not been involved in previous criminal actions and his background had left him naive and vulnerable.

Miss Caroline Harris, for Smith, said her client had confessed and although he was the older person he had been vulnerable because of his drug problem.