Drug producers and suppliers jailed

Warwick Crown Court heard Kris McGuire, 27, of no fixed address and Luke Greer, 27, of no fixed address, were arrested after police raided a house in Princes Street where they were both living at the time and found drugs worth over £100,000.

McGuire pleaded guilty being concerned in the production of methadone, possessing methadone and the class B APB with intent to supply and being concerned in their supply.

He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail and a consecutive six-month sentence for possessing a forged passport.

Greer admitted permitting the premises to be used for the production and supply of methadone and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Prosecutor Laura Hobson said in April 2014 the letting agent turned up at the address in Princes Street to carry out an inspection, and contacted the police after becoming suspicious.

The police later found Greer at the house, but he claimed he did not live there and was just looking after a dog for someone.

As the officers carried out their search McGuire arrived at the house and, on seeing the police, ran off. He was later caught and both men were arrested.

Miss Hobson said: “It was clear the address was being used for the production of methadone. There were 699 grams of methadone, worth £69,900, in three separate packages.”

Two of the packages weighed 250 grams each and were sealed ready for onward distribution by post – and there were envelopes with addresses in Australia on them.

In addition, the police found 769 grams of APB worth £30,640 as well as small amounts of ecstasy and cannabis.

Both men were granted police bail, but failed to return to the police station in July 2014. It was later found they had fled to Europe.

Greer returned in July last year and handed himself in at Leamington police station, while McGuire was arrested at Harwich after returning in November, and was found to have been using a false Danish passport.

He explained he had built up a drug debt and had been told to rent the house in Leamington to be used for the methadone’s production and distribution.

Paul O’Keefe, defending for Greer, said he was now clear of drink and drugs, and had been described as a model prisoner.

Nick Devine, defending for McGuire, said: “He was placed under a six-month contract, effectively, to pay off his debts, and in addition his rent was being paid and his living expenses – but he was not the Mr Big.”

Sentencing the two men, Recorder Richard Benson QC told McGuire: “You are a young man, and you have got yourself into a mess here.

“Because of your involvement in drugs you have put yourself in a position where you were playing a leading role in what was going on.

“You then went on the run, but when you came back and were arrested, you were fully co-operative.”