Man sentenced for Op Lionheart

A Loughborough man has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison after being arrested as Operation Lionheart.

Bradley Barrett, of Browning Drive, Loughborough, was given a custodial sentence today (22 May) after pleading guilty to six drug offences at an earlier hearing.

The 19-year-old admitted to three counts of supplying class A – two relate to dealing cocaine and heroin on 18 September 2018 and one for dealing heroin on 15 November 2018. He was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court.

He was also with another man during a drug deal in Rockingham Road, Loughborough, on 6 November, when two wraps of heroin were sold.

Although Barrett did not directly supply these drugs he was aware of the exchange and was charged with being concerned in the supply of class A.

During this deal he also provided a mobile phone number believed to be a dedicated line for purchasing drugs – this is known as a drugs line.

Barrett was arrested last month (9 April) - on day one of the enforcement phase for Operation Lionheart.

It followed months of police work to gather information and evidence on a number of suspects across Leicester and Leicestershire – all believed to be involved in the sale and distribution of drugs.

As officers approached Barrett to arrest him he attempted to discard a package which was examined and found to contain 12 wraps of cocaine and seven wraps of heroin.

This led to the additional charge of two counts of possession with intent to supply class A.

Chief Superintendent Adam Streets, head of Local Policing, said: “This is the fourth person to be sentenced following the force’s crackdown on those selling and distributing drugs.

“Barrett has admitted to being involved in this type of activity in Loughborough and will now spend a number of months/ years in prison for his involvement in selling cocaine and heroin and County Lines criminality, both of which wreck lives and pray on the most vulnerable in our communities.”