TWO men have been given suspended prison sentences for their involvement in a county lines operation involving the moving of drugs between Liverpool and Barrow.

Daniel Lister, prosecuting the case at Preston Crown Court, told the court that the two defendants, Connor Fitzpatrick and Nicholas Gayle, ‘worked as a team’ to move cannabis in Gayle’s Vauxhall Corsa.

The prosecution could not put an accurate estimate on the amount of drugs involved but the prosecution alleged: “It would have had to have been a significant amount to make the trip worthwhile.”

Similarly, Mr Lister was unable to put a number on the trips undertaken but it was said to have been ‘no more than ten’ and closer to ‘one or two’.

Their operation was uncovered on November 2 2020 when Gayle failed to stop his car at 10.50pm when asked by police on patrol on Ironworks Road, Barrow.

The court heard Gayle drove down a one-way street at 60 mph and narrowly missed another vehicle before eventually crashing into a traffic light.

Rosalind Scott Bell, representing Gayle, said in mitigation: “He is in full-time employment now working at least 40 hours per week as an assistant at a very well established hotel in Central London.”

Fitzpatrick, 24, of Stapleford Road in Liverpool, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of both a Class A drug on October 5 2020 and being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug between October 1 and November 3 2020.

Gayle, 31, of Portland Road in Croydon, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug between October 1 and November 3 2020 and dangerous driving on Ironworks Road on November 2 2020.

Fitzpatrick was sentenced on the basis that he was coerced by others and that threats were made to himself and his family in relation to the supply of heroin and cocaine from Liverpool to Barrow on one occasion in October 2020.

Sentencing Fitzpatrick, His Honour Judge Richard Gioserano said: “I am prepared to put my scepticism to one side and sentence you on the basis that you were coerced.

“You have made good progress in the three years since the commission of this offence, there has been a considerable delay and you have strong mitigation.”

He received a 24-month suspended prison sentence for two years (the maximum suspended sentence a judge can impose) and was ordered to undertake 30 RAR days and 180 hours unpaid work.

His Honour Judge Gioserano sentenced Gayle to a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to undertake 5 RAR days and 180 hours work.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to take an extended retest.