Dinnington drugs Mr Big gets 23 years

SIX Dinnington men were among members of a gang locked up for lenghty terms at the end of a drug and money laundering trial

Ten men were convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of organising and supplying class A, B and C controlled drugs throughout South Yorkshire and north Nottinghamshire, plus a variety of money laundering offences and perverting the course of justice.

Eight members of the gang were sentenced last Friday and two more will be dealt on Wednesday.

Career criminal James Flinders (48), who led the group from his home address on Park Avenue, Dinnington, was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Flinders—who established a property portfolio valued in excess of £1million including a large property in Dinnington—was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A, B and C drugs, various money laundering offences and perverting the course of justice.

David Bacon (43), of Swinton Hill Road, Dinnington, was convicted of the conspiracy to supply class A drugs and for money laundering offences and was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison. Carl Clayton (31), of no fixed address, was also convicted of the conspiracy to supply class A drugs and will be sentenced next week.

Lee Tongue (42), of Burns Road, Dinnington, was convicted of the conspiracy to supply class A and class C drugs and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Glenn Irvine (28), from Retford and Simon Dilkes (39), from Worksop were both convicted of the conspiracy to supply class A drugs and were sentenced to three years and 11 years in prison respectively.

Damien Fletcher (28), of Wordsworth Avenue Dinnington, convicted of the conspiracy to supply class A drugs and will be sentenced next week.

Roy Tomlinson (37), of Victoria Street Dinnington, was convicted of conspiracy to supply class B and class C drugs and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Matthew White (30), from Worksop, was convicted of conspiracy to supply class C drugs and was sentenced to six years in prison. James Green (33), of Swinton Hill Road, Dinnington, convicted of conspiracy to supply class C drugs and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Det Insp Richard Shimwell, who led the investigation, said: “I am delighted with what is an excellent result following a ten-month operation and a lengthy investigation.

“Flinders is a career criminal who believed he was above the law. He coordinated family members and close friends to run what can be described as the organised supply of drugs to fund his luxury lifestyle.”

Financial enquiries revealed that since 2006 James Flinders established a property portfolio valued in excess of £1million including a large property in Dinnington.

Det Insp Richard Shimwell added: “I want to thank everyone involved who has been involved in this lengthy process—a career criminal with a reputation for violence and seven of his associates are now commencing a lengthy prison sentences.

“A dedicated team of officers worked tirelessly to bring Flinders and his associates to justice.”

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