A MOTHER and son have been sent to prison for three years after police officers caught them dealing drugs in a North Yorkshire town.

Kirsty Anne Burnett, aged 41 and Andrew James Peter Burnett, aged 20, both of King Street in Scarborough, were sentenced at York Crown Court today (June 6).

Both had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine, MDMA, often known as ecstasy, cannabis and class C drugs diazepam, bromazolam and etizolam between May and November 2021.

Operation Expedite officers, who are part of a proactive team who target drug-related crime and other serious offending, carried out a warrant at their family flat in November 2021.

They seized drugs, mobile phones and other related evidence to help develop the long-running investigation.

This resulted in the mother and son being jointly charged with six offences in January 2023.

Officer in the case, PC Jessie Landers of Operation Expedite, said: “Drug use and dealing ruins families and this investigation highlights how different generations of the same family become embroiled in the trade.

“Kirsty and Andrew Burnett are mother and son who have chosen to engage in the sale of drugs. The saying ‘you’d do anything for your children’ is sadly true in this case, with Kirsty taking instructions from Andrew on where to go and who to deal to via text message.

“It was clearly a well-planned operation with Kirsty even warning Andrew two days before the warrant - ‘son, I’m not joking, the undercover drugs squad were watching, we need to lay low’.

“During the warrant, evidence was located in the form of drugs, mobile phones, digital scales and deal bags in a box marked with Andrew’s name. Text messages recovered between the pair gave the mother and son no choice but to plead guilty to their crimes.

“The area where they live is one of the most deprived in the country where drug addiction is a deep concern.

“The actions of the Burnetts were only adding to the misery and despair of the community which will not be tolerated by North Yorkshire Police and our partner agencies.”

Anyone with any information about suspected drug-related crime are urged to make a report via the North Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room.

Always dial 999 if an emergency response is required.

The signs of drug dealing, including county lines activity, can include increased callers at a property at all times of the day or night, increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time, different accents at a property, anti-social behaviour at a property, not seeing the resident for long periods of time, drug-related rubbish – small plastic bags, syringes and windows covered or curtains closed for long periods.