The teenage ringleader of a ‘well-established drug enterprise’ has been locked up.
Kevin Nussey made thousands of pounds after flooding the Mansfield area with cocaine and cannabis over several months.
The scale of Nussey’s dealing was discovered when he was arrested for drug offences for a third time, with messages found on his phone detailing his plans to order half a kilo of cocaine.
Aged 18 at the time, Nussey was the person behind all this criminality and set up a drug operation ‘that went on for months and months’ until he was eventually stopped by police on 31 May 2020.
After a car he was driving was pulled over in Sycamore Street, Church Warsop, Nussey tried to run from officers, while appearing to try and hide something inside his trousers.
A quantity of cocaine was then found on him, while messages related to drug dealing were also discovered on his phone, including plans to order bulk amounts of cocaine from other parts of the country.
Nussey was caught red-handed dealing cocaine at a house in Elm Tree Avenue, Mansfield, on 5 November 2019.
Police also stopped a car he was in that had cocaine and cannabis inside on 4 October 2019, which led to the arrest of three other people, including Benjamin Hoyland, 24, and Nathan Holmes, 22.
In addition to the drug offences, Nussey was also part of a group that was involved in an incident in Appleton Street, Warsop, on 31 January 2020, in which a man was assaulted.
Nussey appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday (25 May 2022), having pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring to supply class A and class B drugs, possession with intent to supply class A drugs and affray.
Nussey, of High Street, Edwinstowe, was sentenced to five years in prison.
Passing sentence, Judge Stuart Rafferty QC, told Nussey: “This was a well-established drug enterprise that was being run by you, Mr Nussey.
“Some people arrested by the police might have thought that the time had come to stop – but not you. Having thumbed your nose at authorities as you did, not only have you crossed the bridge; you have set fire to it after you.”
Benjamin Hoyland, Nathan Holmes, Connor Bower, 21, Amie Ball, 28, and Kieran Roberts, 30, also appeared alongside Nussey for sentencing, having pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
Hoyland, of Logan Street, Bulwell, was handed a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, for two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and conspiring to supply class A and B drugs.
Holmes, of Walesby Lane, New Ollerton, was handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, for two counts of possession with intent to supply class B drugs and conspiring to supply class A and B drugs.
Bower, of Day Street, Warsop, Ball, of Marples Avenue, Mansfield, and Roberts, of Elkesley Place, Mansfield, were handed community orders, having pleaded guilty to affray.
Detective inspector Luke Todd, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The sentence handed out in this case should serve as a clear warning to others that this type of behaviour will never be tolerated and will lead to strong punishments.
“Drugs cause irreparable damage to everyone they touch and can ruin lives, which is why our officers continue to work so tirelessly to intercept these dangerous substances before they can reach their targets and cause harm.
“We will never allow those who make their living from selling drugs to operate and will continue with our efforts to make their lives as difficult as possible by taking them off our streets and putting offenders behind bars.”
