A MAN who operated a graft phone line and delivered drugs has avoided prison as a judge accepted his life is now in a “very different place”.
Mark Statham had run a drugs phone line for around a one-month period during March and April 2024.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that he sent messages from the phone advertising drugs and delivered them after orders had been received.
Judge Charlotte Crangle said those involved in such offending “out to expect immediate custody” – but said there were reasons to suspend Statham’s prison sentence.
Prosecuting, Iain Criddle told the court during the hearing on Friday (April 10), that the 44-year-old defendant was arrested in April 2024.
Police had found the graft phone that was “ringing constantly” and also recovered a crack pipe during a search.
Statham was not arrested at that stage, with the phone taken to be analysed. Due to a change in the defendant’s address he was not tracked down until March last year, and he was eventually charged in January 2026.
Statham had given a “no comment” interview upon his arrest.
Mr Criddle said examination of the phone showed messages offering drugs for sale, and people requesting drugs.
Statham’s role was “sending out messages and delivering drugs once orders were received,” he added.
The barrister said that the investigation was “not able to establish the size of the operation and were unable to tell the frequency of messages advertising drugs for sale”.
The court heard that Statham’s function was done “at the behest of other people” and that he was doing it because he had his own drug habit.
Mr Criddle said the defendant “must have had awareness of the scale of the operation”.
He said Statham had previous convictions for possession of cannabis, criminal damage, affray and a driving matter.
On Statham’s behalf, his defence said he had completed a residential drug treatment with Change Grow Live (CGL) and is now clear from Class A drugs.
It was added he was assessed as suitable for a drug rehabilitation requirement and a financial penalty.
Statham, of Hall Street, St Helens, had indicated guilty pleas in a previous hearing before magistrates last month to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine.
Passing sentence judge Crangle said to him: “You know from your own experience the damage and destruction that Class A drugs (cause) in terms of people’s health, family relationships and the damage that is caused to the community.
“Not only by having people that deal drugs hanging around their streets but also by those who commit further crimes in order to fund their habits”.
She said Statham may have played a “lower part” in the operation but said that without him playing that role “the whole enterprise would not have been able to operate.
“That is why the (sentencing) starting points are high, and people ought to expect immediate custody when they commit offences of this nature.”
However, judge Crangle added: “In April 2024, you were in a very different place than you are now, you had significant family bereavements, your relationship had broken down, you found yourself spiralling down”.
She said to Statham “you weren’t making a significant profit from what you were doing” and noted “you had no influence on those above you in the chain”.
The judge said the defendant had “no relevant recent previous convictions” and had “demonstrated significant steps to address your own habits”.
She imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for 18 months and ordered Statham to do up to 15 days or rehabilitation activity and a drug rehabilitation requirement.
A deprivation order for the phone was imposed and a victim surcharge.
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