DEALERS who made more than £200,000 in just seven months from a Rochford and Leigh drug line have been jailed for a combined total of five years.

Thomas Ambrose, 35, of Station Road, Leigh, Kelly Abrey, 46, of Elizabeth Gardens, Rochford, and Lily Norris, 27, of Vernon Road, Leigh, appeared in Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, July 27.

The trio were charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and acquiring criminal property.

Ambrose was seen as the leader of the operation which began in March 2022.

It involved a telephone number sending bulk messages concerning cocaine supply and distribution.

He directed runners Abrey and Vijay Wara, who did not appear in court.

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Judge Samantha Leigh said: “You were all involved in the conspiracy to supply cocaine from March 7, 2022, to October 13, 2022, with a drugs line operating in the Southend and Rochford area.

“Mr Ambrose, a warrant at your address in October found you with Miss Norris as well as thousands of pounds in drugs and cash.

“Other warrants were executed at Mr Abrey’s home in Rochford where drug-related items were found as well as £175 in cash.”

The warrant at Mr Ambrose’s address saw officers seize three-quarters of a kilogram of cocaine which had a street-value of between £17,000 and £23,000.

Officers also found £202,221 in cash, which was also seized as Ambrose and Norris were subsequently arrested.

Ambrose had one previous conviction concerning a driving offence while Abrey had three convictions for eight offences, some of which involved the intent to supply cocaine.

When Abrey was arrested last year he was subject to a suspended sentence court order dating from March 2022.

The latest conviction means he is in breach of that order.

In sentencing, Judge Leigh said: “Mr Ambrose, you have one previous conviction and receive full credit for your guilty plea with excellent references.

“The least sentence I can give you on both counts is three and a half years of which you will serve half and be released on licence.”

Abrey was jailed for 28 months with six months of his suspended sentence activated, all to run concurrently.

Norris was sentenced to 14 months suspended for 18 months and will be required to do 80 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

Editor's Note: Lily Norris

We have been asked to point out that the Lily Norris, aged 27 of Vernon Road, Leigh, convicted of being a member of a drug dealing gang (Echo [date]) is not the Lily Norris, 24, who was until recently a teacher at North Street Primary School and now studying at university for a PhD.