County lines drug gang driver gets jail while young dealer who was 'trapped' is spared prison
A man has been locked up for his involvement in a county lines drug gang, while another who was 'trapped' by the group as a youth has been spared prison.
Martin Wilson, 36, and Joshua Davies, 21, were both sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court for their part in the 'well-organised, extremely violent and persistent' 'Boris Line' which supplied heroin and crack cocaine in Oswestry.
Both men had pleaded guilty to two charges – being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, and being concerned in the supply of heroin, between July 2018, and February 2020.
Wilson, of Eagle Dene, Fazakerley, Liverpool, was jailed for his part, while Davies, of Maple Avenue, Oswestry, was given a suspended sentence.
A number of senior members of the Merseyside-based organised crime gang which operated the 'Boris' line are already serving long prison sentences.
The gang exploited a number of youths in Oswestry, using them to deal drugs and collect money for the organisation.
Judge Peter Barrie heard that Wilson had undertaken six trips back and forth from Oswestry to Liverpool for the gang, either carrying drugs or collecting cash.
Sara Wyeth, prosecuting, said that Wilson had undertaken the journeys between December 2018 and July 2019.
Ms Wyeth said: "During that time he was in constant communication with [senior members] Adam Macardle or James Mason who was running the line from Oswestry on each occasion."
