TWO drug dealers who conspired to supply heroin and crack cocaine on the streets of Worcester have been jailed for their part in the large scale operation.

Dominic Ali, 28, and Kale Nelson, 23, were arrested in 2017 by officers from the Operation Blade team, which seeks to cut the supply of class A drugs into Worcester from larger cities in March 2018.

Paul Whitfield, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court yesterday that this was a 'cuckoo' case where a base was set up at the home of a third defendant, Elaine Pritchard - taking over the property to deal class A drugs. He said police observed Nelson street dealing in Diglis and attempted to arrest him but he escaped, running to a nearby property at Donaldson Court, Princes Drive.

He said Nelson was struck by an unmarked police car outside, and broke his arm when he fell to floor. During this time Ali shouted to police Nelson had “done nothing wrong” and, when he became aggressive, he was arrested. In the Donaldson Court property, police found drugs and paraphernalia, including scales, and it emerged Ali had tried to flush drugs away, putting them into a washing machine. Mr Whitfield added mobile phones were later examined, which showed Ali and Nelson were linked, and there were messages sent to known drug users.

Amiee Parkes, defending Ali, said at the time of the offences he was in debt, and was a drug user, so got involved in the conspiracy. She said he was serving time at HMP Hewell for another drug dealing case and was now drug free, wanting to change his ways for his family and his son.

Alison Scott-Jones, defending Nelson, called his father Dale to give evidence. He said his son had been working as a labourer for his scaffolding firm, and was in a better place than when he had committed the offences. Mr Nelson added his son had taken responsibility for his actions, moving in with his partner and child, with another on the way.

Mark Sheward, defending Pritchard, said the 35-year-old mother fully accepted responsibility for her role.

Judge Nicholas Cartwright said the aggravating factors for both Ali and Nelson were that they knew the scale of the drug dealing operation, Nelson had used his car to drive the drugs into the city, and that they had both involved Pritchard in the operation. He added this all this meant they played “a significant role”.

Ali was given a three-and-a-half year sentence added to the 11 years he is serving. Nelson, of Creswell Crescent, Walsall, was jailed for four years, while Pritchard was given a two year community order.