CARLISLE DRUG DEALER GUILTY OF CHILD GROOMING
A Carlisle drug dealer involved in a large scale class A county lines supply conspiracy has now admitted a child sex offence.Connor White, 22, initially appeared at the city’s crown court at the start of this month.
He was one of almost a dozen people who admitted conspiring to supply heroin and crack cocaine between early June and late November last year.
However, White was back in court on Wednesday after he was charged with meeting a child following sexual grooming.
Having previously denied that offence, he was due to face a trial.
But neither that statement nor any evidence were required after White decided to instead plead guilty to the offence.
Judge Nicholas Barker told the jury: “It would seem that over the lunch break Mr White has had a change of heart as far as his attitude to this trial is concerned.” And, upon hearing of White’s admission, a jury foreman was required to officially return a guilty verdict.
That offence is said to have come to light when the father of the child - a 15-year-old girl - found a number of photographs on her mobile phone.
Police analysis of that device revealed text traffic between the girl and White, who pleaded guilty to the grooming charge on an agreed basis.
Details of his involvement in the county lines drugs plot also emerged.
The court heard White had been a “sub-dealer” for a Liverpool gang, peddling illicit wares on their behalf “on a number of occasions”.
Prosecutor Kim Whittlestone told the court: “Despite an arrest halfway through (the six-month conspiracy period), it continues after he has been arrested.” White, of Eldon Drive, Harraby, listened from the dock as he was told he would remain behind bars before being sentenced for the drugs and grooming crimes on a future date.
“You know a custodial sentence of some length is coming your way,” Judge Barker told him.
