A COUNTY lines gang brought in tens of thousands of pounds-worth of heroin and crack cocaine into Swindon, a court heard.

Now, the couple caught driving drugs to Swindon from London have been jailed for a total of 10 years after admitting being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Jailing Nathan Dawkins for seven years and nine months and Kelsey Schafer-Nolan for two years and four months, Judge Peter Crabtree said: “It is plain that between January 1, 2020, and November 19, 2020, you were both concerned in a County Lines drugs operation supplying class A drugs; heroin and crack cocaine.

“Anyone who’s involved by whatever means in supplying class A drugs commits a serious offence which undermines the fabric of society and causes individual lives to be wrecked.”

Swindon Crown Court heard Dawkins, 37, and Schafer-Nolan, 24, had made scores of trips from the capital to Wiltshire last year in order to supply drugs for the Jay3for20 drugs line.

Dawkins travelled down either in his BMW, a hire car or by train. His co-accused made the trip in her Audi A3.

The line employed an underage teen runner, who was caught in January last year with more than £1,000-worth of heroin and crack cocaine. His phone linked him back to the Jay3for20 drugs line phone, which cell mast data suggested was being held by Dawkins at his home in London. The drugs line phone was topped up at a convenience store in Rodbourne in April by a youth.

Multiple trips were made in January and March until November, when the defendants were arrested in the capital.

Both had been arrested in the intervening period. In early June, Schafer-Nolan was caught in east Swindon after residents called police to report drug dealing at Nythe play park. She made off but was caught on Dorcan Way and found to have drug wraps and £140 cash, while messages on her phone pointed to her dealing cannabis.

The following month, police tried to arrest Dawkins but he made off down railway tracks. When officers caught up with him, he had £512 in cash and a set of BMW keys.

Warrants were executed at the property they shared in Lewisham in November, where the pair were arrested. Police found £891 in a bag with Schafer-Nolan’s driving licence, £235 in a chest of drawers in the living room and almost £700-worth of heroin.

The court heard the drug line phone number had been changed during the summer. Analysis of the first phone pointed to more than 2,500 contacts, with police suggesting the line may have sold up to £53,000-worth of drugs.

Dawkins, of Skerne Walk, Kingston-upon-Thames, and Schafer-Nolan, of Cressingham Road, Lewisham, admitted being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and possession of criminal property.  Schafer-Nolan also admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Dawkins had a previous conviction for drug dealing dating back 15 years, but had remained out of trouble since, had held down a job and been helping his co-defendant with issues she faced. He was remorseful.

The judge accepted that Schafer-Nolan had been subject to pressure to secure her involvement in the operation and had also been assaulted. She experienced difficulties with her mental health, had been diagnosed with PTSD and had a difficult upbringing.

Judge Crabtree sentenced Dawkins to seven years and nine months’ imprisonment, also making him subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order. Schafer-Nolan received two years and four months’ imprisonment.