Bolton Crown Court sentenced members of three organised crime groups who conspired to traffic cocaine and cannabis between Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and North Wales.[1] Declan Hayes headed the Manchester-based group, Lee Shaw led an outfit from Stoke-on-Trent, and Kyle Tracey directed a North Wales group while living in Liverpool.[1] Michael Corcoran acted as Hayes’s right-hand man and operated a safe house used for meetings and drug storage.[1][2] Paul Birch served as another trusted lieutenant for the Manchester group, travelling between Stoke-on-Trent and North Wales to meet with Shaw and Tracey.[1][2]
Ashley Townley became involved as a courier following Birch’s arrest in July 2021.[1][2] In the Stoke group, Simon Rutter directed courier Damien Baddeley until both were arrested while transporting a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine.[1][2] Ben Illidge was recruited as a replacement courier and was later detained in possession of two kilograms of cannabis after meeting with Hayes and Townley.[1][2] Sentencing judge Jon Close found that the conspiracy had moved more than 40 kilograms of drugs across 13 deliveries.[1][2]
Judge Close jailed Declan Hayes for 11 years and six months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis.[1][2] Michael Corcoran was jailed for seven years and six months and Simon Rutter for six years and three months on the same conspiracy charges.[1] Damien Baddeley received an 18-month sentence for conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis, which was treated as served because of time spent on qualifying curfew.[1] Kyle Tracey was jailed for five years and six months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.[1] Ashley Townley and Ben Illidge were each handed two-year community orders with unpaid work and electronically monitored curfews for conspiracy to supply cannabis.[3] Lee Shaw and Paul Birch were scheduled for sentencing at later hearings, while a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing was set for March of the following year.[3]
