Drug dealer sent to prison for more than five years

A 30-year-old drug dealer has been sent to prison for five years and eight months.

Shannon Lee O’Boyle, previously of Kettering, started dealing cocaine and heroin in the town in September last year, after only coming out of prison two months earlier.

However, police were onto him and their investigations into the ‘Flash Line’ uncovered O’Boyle as one of the line’s holders.

On December 18 last year, police executed a warrant at O’Boyle’s home address in Dalkeith Place and found several mobile phones including one which had the Flash Line number. A large quantity of cash and a folding knife were also seized from the property.

O’Boyle was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and one count of possessing criminal property.

After pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Crown Court on March 28, he returned to the same court on May 21, where he was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison.

Detective Constable Fay Maskell of the North LPA CID Team said: “I welcome the sentence handed out to O’Boyle as it demonstrates that repeat offences will be rewarded with a lengthy spell behind bars.

“I’d like to thank the Metropolitan Police for their help on this case. With their assistance, we were able to show O’Boyle as one of the drugs line’s holders.

“Tackling drug harm is a matter of priority for Northamptonshire Police and we will continue working hard to bring more people like this man to justice.”

If anyone has concerns about drug dealing, or someone becoming drawn into gang culture, please report it to us on 101, online at www.northants.police.uk/ro or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.