A convicted heroin and crack cocaine dealer trafficked a boy in care to work in the supply of drugs hundreds of miles away from his home.
The teenager told staff at the children's home where he was living that he was going fishing in Wales before Ryan Jones put him on a train from Liverpool Lime Street to the south west of England.
A trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that the "vulnerable" 17-year-old was used to transport drugs from Merseyside to Exeter or as a "foot soldier" in street dealing in Paignton, Devon, as part of a county lines operation – the "Scott Line" – in June 2019. David Watson, prosecuting, described how he was living in a home in Birkenhead at the time but disappeared on June 13 that year after telling staff he was going on a fishing to trip to Anglesey.
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Around 5pm that day, Jones – of Mersey Walk in Birkenhead – left the youngster at Lime Street Station. The teen then boarded a train, arriving at Exeter shortly before 10pm and spending the next few days in regular contact with the gang's graft phone.
The boy was reported missing by the care home the same evening, eventually being found in Torquay nearly a month later and returned to Merseyside. Jones was previously locked up for 40 months in May 2015 for possession of a class A drug with intent to supply.
The 27-year-old was then handed four years at Plymouth Crown Court in August last year for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine, as part of the "Scouse JJ" line which had been operating in the south western city. Martyn Walsh, defending, said of the dad-of-three: "His initial introduction to drugs was as a result of him being coerced into it.
"He had a drug debt and he became involved. That is not to say he has not progressed, but that was his initial involvement in the trade."
Jones admitted arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation. He was jailed for an additional 43 months – to be served consecutively to his current term – this afternoon, Friday, and given a 10-year slavery and trafficking prevention order.
Sentencing, Judge David Aubrey KC said: "He had been recruited by you for exploitation in this county lines operation. He was to act as a willing runner, although still a child, between Liverpool and Exeter or as a foot soldier supplying drugs in Devon.
"He started working for a network of which you were an active member. Your admitted exploitation involved the commission of serious criminal offences.
"You were exposing him to the risk of prosecution and an immediate custodial sentence. You were exposing him to the trade of class A drugs – exploitation in these circumstances is particularly grave."
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