Two heavyweight drugs cases have recently been successfully concluded by Stephen Mather leading Giles Fleming, prosecuting on behalf of the CPS.

In the first case, a county lines conspiracy, the lead defendant was sentenced to 10 years 7 months imprisonment at Cambridge Crown Court. He was responsible for organising teenage runners to deliver drugs in Cambridgeshire, whilst also maintaining a separate drugs enterprise in South London.

The second case, investigated by the NCA, involved a conspiracy to supply a kilo of cocaine, with evidence of another 5kg of cocaine being recently supplied by one defendant, along with more than 75kg of cannabis by others. Sentences between 5½ years and 11 years were imposed on the conspirators at Ipswich Crown Court.

The first case also involved allegations of modern slavery, along with factually complex disclosure issues; while both cases involved the presentation of extensive telephone evidence of various kinds.