Drug dealing Pontefract grandparents and grandson sentenced
Three members of a South Elmsall family have been sentenced for drugs offences
Husband and wife Philip and Pamela Spencer were jailed for possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply after police raided their home earlier this year.
Their grandson Blake Cowell was sentenced for drugs offences and owning a knuckle duster.
Leeds Crown Court heard police acted on a tip off after the suspected drug-related death of a man in South Elmsall.
A warrant was executed at an address on Harrow Street on January 20 where police seized amphetamine and crack cocaine and a number of weapons, including a knuckle duster and a crossbow.
All three suspects were arrested at the address.
Philip Spencer, aged 64, of Harrow Street, South Elmsall, who admitted possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply, was sentenced to five years and seven months’ custody.
Pamela Spencer, aged 66, also of Harrow Street, who admitted possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply, was sentenced to three years’ custody.
Blake Cowell, aged 21, of Beech Street, South Elmsall, admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.
He was given a two-year suspended sentence, placed on a two-year drug programme and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
He was also given a driving ban of two years and six months for dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and with no insurance and causing damage to a police vehicle in relation to a previous incident .
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Sarah Degnan of Wakefield CID said: “The Spencers have been a blight on the local community for some time, so I am pleased that justice has been served and they have been deprived of their liberty for a significant period of time.
“By acting on intelligence provided by the community, our South East neighbourhood officers and detectives have been able to tackle the concerns of people in South Elmsall and take action to have a positive impact on the local community.”
Investigating officer, DC Saqib Iqbal, said: “This has been a complex investigation, not least because the defendants sought to evade justice by portraying themselves as vulnerable. However, justice has been served and this will hopefully reassure the community that we will take appropriate action on receipt of community intelligence.”