York-Bradford drugs trial: Children were in the cars, jury is told

In evidence read at Bradford Crown Court, the jurors heard that a North Yorkshire Police dog, Ben, found a tracksuit jacket containing 54.3g of heroin of 51 per cent purity, 54.5g of cocaine of 97 per cent purity and a chemical often used to dilute cocaine, behind a roadside hedge near Hutton Wandesley west of York.

They also heard evidence from a series of officers, that undercover police had followed a silver Subaru and a red Volvo allegedly travelling in convoy from Bradford towards York along the M62 and A64 to the Bilbrough flyover where they had turned onto a side road through Bilbrough and Askham Richard villages. 

North Yorkshire Police officers stopped the Subaru, with Simon Hall at the wheel, in Hutton Wandesley north of Askham Richard and caught up with a red Volvo driven by Rosemary Smith with her boyfriend Ethan Wharton in the front passenger seat in nearby Long Marston.

In the witness box, PC Gary Chapman said there were two children, the older of whom was about six years old, in the back of the Subaru, and PC Darren Hughes, said there were four children in the rear of the Volvo, whom the defence accept were all aged under ten.

The prosecution allege the drugs were thrown out of one of the cars during the journey from the A64 to where police arrested the adult occupants, and that the cars had turned off at Bilbrough en route to York because those inside became aware police were following them on the afternoon of August 11, 2015. 

Rosemary Smith, 28, of Hewley Avenue, Tang Hall, Edward Wharton, 42, of Ayton House in Cole Street in The Groves, and Hall, 44, of Witbank Road, Darlington, deny conspiracy to supply Class A drugs between June 1 and November 4, 2015.

The Whartons’ mother Biggs, 62, of Ayton House, Cole Street, denies concealing £2,990 of drugs profits allegedly found in her flat, and Michael Smith of James Street Caravan Site, York, denies possessing cocaine with intent on September 8, 2014.

Ethan Wharton, 37, of no fixed address, is not in the dock with the rest of the defendants, but is also on trial. He has been found “unfit to plead” meaning doctors have decided he is not capable of standing trial.

The jury has to decide if he committed the acts of the conspiracy to supply and possession with intent charges.

The jury heard the drugs were found during a police search of the cars’ route the day after the arrests. The trial continues.

Day 1 report

Note: An earlier version of this article gave the incorrect age and address for Edward Wharton. The age and address initially given were those of a namesake relative, who is not accused of any offence. We apologise for the error.

SIX people alleged to be members of a drugs gang that operated a heroin and cocaine pipeline from Bradford to York have gone on trial.

The prosecution claims that Ethan Wharton, 37, was the mastermind of an operation that also included his mother Yasmin Biggs, 62, his brother Edward Wharton, 42, and his girlfriend, Rosemary Smith, 28.

Opening the prosecution, Tom Storey alleged Ethan Wharton, driven by other gang members, made regular nighttime trips from York to Bradford where he bought drugs from Kesser Hussain, 24.

The alleged conspirators used two cars so that the drugs and Ethan Wharton could travel back to York in different vehicles, the jury at Bradford Crown Court heard.

Mr Storey alleged the drugs were passed on to Shayne Garnett and Chantelle and Craig Laing, who then sold them on to drug users at their flat in Coxwold House, Lowther Street, The Groves.

Mr Storey alleged on one occasion, police saw children in two cars making one of the drugs runs.

Twice police found drugs thrown from cars by gang members when they realised officers were on their trail, claimed the barrister.

On another occasion, a fire engineer allegedly found drugs secreted by Biggs in a locked meter cupboard to which she should not have had access, but she managed to rehide them before police responded to the engineer’s call.

“Ethan Wharton was the prime mover of this operation,” alleged Mr Storey. “He was the controller, he was the person who sourced the drugs from Hussain in Bradford.”

He alleged the other defendants carried the drugs from Bradford to York, or concealed cash made from the onward supply of the drugs.

“These people must have been aware of the purpose of the journeys,” he claimed. “ Children were clearly taken along to provide some sort of cover for the adults making the trip.”

Rosemary Smith, of Hewley Avenue, Tang Hall, Edward Wharton, of Ayton House in Cole Street in The Groves, and Hall, of Witbank Road, Darlington, all deny conspiracy to supply Class A drugs between June 1 2015 and November 4, 2015.

Biggs, of Ayton House, Cole Street, denies concealing £2,990 of drugs profits allegedly found in her flat, and Michael Smith of James Street Caravan Site, York, denies possessing cocaine with intent on September 8, 2014.

Ethan Wharton, of no fixed address, is not in the dock with the rest of the defendants, but is also on trial. He has been found “unfit to plead” meaning doctors have decided he is not capable of standing trial. The jury has to decide if he committed the acts of the conspiracy to supply and possession with intent charges.

Hussain, of Kismet Gardens, Bradford, has admitted the conspiracy to supply charge. Garnett and the two Laings have also admitted involvement in the supply of Class A drugs. Neither they nor Hussain are on trial.

The jury have seen two packages of cocaine each weighing about an ounce found near each other, one hanging from a tree branch and one on a grass verge close to where police stopped a Mercedes with Ethan Wharton and Michael Smith inside on September 8, 2014.

Mr Storey said the packages were of high purity, 73 per cent and 71 per cent, and alleged they could be combined with ammonia found in the same car to make crack cocaine and to increase the profits made by selling the cocaine. The trial continues.