Colchester drug dealers jailed for combined 38 year total

Stephen Ford, 32, and Kian Rulten, 28, named the “F&K” drugs line after themselves before supplying almost 1.5kg of cocaine over a 15 month period between April 2021 and July last year.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said between April and October 2021 at least £38,640 was made from nearly 1,000 purchases of cocaine from the line.

Mr Potts said that between December 6, 2021, and May last year 1,946 purchases of cocaine were made from the line with a total value of £77,840 and a total weight of 973g.

Drug boss - Stephen Ford (Image: Essex Police)

Violent thug - Kian Rulten assaulted a man in Hudson during a night out in Colchester (Image: Essex Police)

Judge Martyn Levett told Ipswich Crown Court the operation had “all the hallmarks of a professional syndicate”.

The court heard police officers executed a number of raids in Colchester and Mersea in July last year during their investigation.

Ford, 32, of Monkwick Avenue, Colchester, and Rulten, 28, of Morant Road, Colchester, Luke Welham, 26, of Vince Close, West Mersea, and Jake Goodspeed, 25, of Monkwick Avenue, Colchester and Jack Tyrer, 24, of The Commons, Colchester admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Ford also admitted possessing a flick knife and two truncheons and punching a man in the car park of the Leather Bottle pub, Shrub End, in September 2021.

Glass bottle attack - Jake Goodspeed assaulted a man in the car park of the Leather Bottle pub (Image: Essex Police)

Raid - a police van parked up during a warrant executed at Jake Goodspeed's address

Mr Potts said Ford has 48 previous convictions for 112 offences.

Goodspeed admitted leaving a man with permanent scarring during the same incident when he smashed the victim with a glass bottle.

Welham also admitted possessing 6g cocaine and a small amount of cannabis which was discovered after police searched his home.

The court heard he minded the drug line telephones during the period where almost £78,000 was made.

Drug operation - Luke Welham watched the drug line phones (Image: Essex Police)

Rulten, an ex-scaffolder, admitted being involved in a violent incident in Hudson House in Head Street, Colchester, on March 13 which left a man covered in his own blood.

Mitchell Cohen, also prosecuting, said Tyrer had turned to running drugs for the syndicate to feed his own addiction.

In his mitigation, the court was told Tyrer had turned to drugs after an injury ended his hopes of becoming a professional footballer.

Sentencing the five men to a combined total of 38 years and three months today, Judge Levett said Colchester has a “significant problem” with the supply of cocaine and Class A drugs.

Wrong path - the family of Jack Tyrer said he was brought up to be 'well mannered' (Image: Essex Police)

Drug line bosses Rulten and Ford were given nine years and eight years imprisonment respectively.

Goodspeed was jailed for nine years and seven months and Luke Welham was put behind bars for seven years and six months.

Tyrer, of The Commons, Colchester, was locked up for four years and two months.