Lincolnshire Police dismantle £1 million drug ring leading to six men being jailed

Six men have been sentenced to a combined total of over 60 years in prison following the dismantling of a drug trafficking operation that funnelled at least £1 million worth of cocaine into a town.

Following a meticulous investigation spanning several months, officers from Lincolnshire Police's SOCU dismantled the operation in Grantham, resulting in the sentencing of multiple individuals.

The individuals involved were:

- Shane Hamilton, 39, of no fixed address from the Grantham area,

- Daniel Burnett, 39, of Sandcliffe Road, Grantham,

- James Stenson, 39, of Lawson Walk, Liverpool,

- Martyn Rudkin, 41, of Hamilton Road, Grantham,

- Andrew Hamilton, 40, of Kinoulton Court Grantham,

- Andrew Cornwall, 33, of Hillbrook Drive, Liverpool.

At the centre of the operation were Shane Hamilton and Daniel Burnett, both 39 years old, who masterminded the collection and distribution of Class A drugs in Grantham.

Assisted by couriers Martyn Rudkin, 41, and Andrew Hamilton, 40, they operated a sophisticated network, utilising unregistered 'burner' phones to evade detection.

Lincolnshire Police's breakthrough in the case came through a combination of meticulous surveillance and forensic analysis.

Phone data, traffic records, and drug sales monitoring provided crucial leads for investigators.

Over 40 trips to Liverpool made by the perpetrators between September 2020 and September 2021 raised suspicions, prompting a closer scrutiny of their activities.

In January 2021, a pivotal moment occurred when Daniel Burnett was arrested for driving offences in Liverpool.

A contact who came to his aid provided vital information linking Burnett to the Liverpool-based supplier, James Stenson.

Further analysis of phone data solidified this connection, laying the groundwork for subsequent arrests and convictions.

Forensic evidence played a key role in tying the defendants to their crimes.

Fingerprints, DNA matches, and analysis of seized materials provided irrefutable proof of their involvement.

A search of properties linked to the operation unearthed substantial quantities of drugs, cutting agents, and paraphernalia associated with drug production and distribution.

For instance, a commercial unit in Heysham Road, Liverpool, rented by Stenson, was searched and inside was a bundle of cash totalling £10,010 in a bag, instructions for a cash counting machine, and a pair of red plastic gloves coated in a mixture of amphetamine, caffeine and a cocaine cutting agent.

Another warrant at a property linked to Burnett in Sandcliffe Road, Grantham, uncovered four bags containing a total of 79.67g of heroin in the garage..

Forensic testing placed Shane Hamilton’s fingerprint on two of the bags.

There was also a bag containing 1 kilogram of a cocaine cutting agent; 55 self-seal ‘snap’ bags containing cocaine in street-sale quantities, as well as empty snap bags and weighing scales; and a bag containing a mixture of over-the-counter drugs used as cutting agents for heroin.

A search was also made at a unit in Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, and a Ford Escort Cosworth which Shane Hamilton had paid £48,000 for, was seized.

Officers were also able to link a bag with 10oz of crack cocaine which had been thrown from a vehicle driven by Rudkin following a visit to Stenson’s house to Stenson through his DNA, which was found on the packaging of the drugs.

A warrant at Shane Hamilton’s home in Houghton Road, Grantham, led to the discovery of a burner phone which was confirmed as the drugs line used by the organised crime group, and had been used to issue bulk text messages offering cocaine.

Officers also found a large number of handwritten notes relating to class A drugs supply.

A forensic document examiner concluded that there was strong support that Shane Hamilton wrote the notes.

That was just a portion of the investigations conducted by officers.

DC Toby Manley, one of the lead investigators, highlighted the meticulous nature of the operation, stating, "The more we dug, the more we unearthed."

He underscored the significance of collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies and the local community, emphasising the role of Grantham's Neighbourhood Policing Team in providing valuable intelligence.

"This group was taken down because of a solid and dogged investigation," he said.

“These investigations take time, patience and the ability to jigsaw a huge number of moving parts alongside other investigations.

The sentences today reflect the severity of their offending, and I hope send a message that we will come for you if you deal on the streets of Lincolnshire.”

The sentencing, handed down by Lincoln Crown Court, reflected the severity of the defendants' crimes.

Shane Hamilton received a sentence of 12 years and 9 months, while Daniel Burnett received 13 years and three months.

James Stenson, the operation's mastermind, received a 12-year and nine-month sentence.

Other accomplices, including Martyn Rudkin, Andrew Hamilton, and Andrew Cornwall, also faced substantial prison sentences.

Additionally, two street-level dealers, Harley Paddison, 21, and Darryl Fottles, 63, were convicted for their involvement in the drug trafficking ring.

Paddison, found in possession of cocaine and a weapon, received a three-year and six-month sentence, while Fottles was sentenced to an 18-month community order.