The son of the well-known lead singer was concerned in multi-million pound drug offers and sentenced to 10 years and eight months for the provision of cocaine, ketamine, hashish and heroin

A 30-year-old drug seller was put behind bars for 10 years after police tracked him down attributable to his well-known dad.

A staff of specialist investigators recognized him from messages about his musician father. An affiliate inside their drug community even despatched him an image of his well-known dad and made feedback which confirmed their relationship.

Thomas Hooton, the son of The Farm lead singer Peter Hooton, has been jailed and sentenced to 10 years and eight months for the provision of cocaine, ketamine, hashish and heroin. The 30-year-old drug seller, who had beforehand pleaded responsible to conspiring to provide medication, was utilizing the title “Ownraptor” and rapidly turned a trusted dealer of multi-million pound drug offers.

Thomas additionally wrote in messages that he was driving a black Audi A3 and his “arl fella”, which means his dad, had organized the insurance coverage. Thomas was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court docket on Friday.

On the again of his arrest by Merseyside’s Organised Crime Partnership in April this 12 months, Thomas made the choice to plead responsible.

He had been utilizing the messaging service EncroChat to dealer his drug offers which reportedly had the road worth of an estimated £1.3million. Police had been additionally in a position to detect that he had been utilizing greater than 40 names for contact and had additionally arrange a county traces provide that lined Scotland, north-east and the south of England.

A spokesperson for the Nationwide Crime Company mentioned: “On the very minimal, Hooton was concerned within the provide of 42.5kg of hashish, 3.25kg of heroin, 10 kg of cocaine and 1kg of ketamine.”

They added: “His messages mentioned he was in possession of round £400,000 and owed £258,000.” The offences which led to his arrest had been reportedly between March 26 and June 4 5 years in the past.

Detective Chief Inspector Lynsay Armbruster mentioned: “It’s clear Hooton was concerned in organised crime for a very long time earlier than he was charged. His felony and geographical attain may have taken appreciable time to determine. His drug provide operations had been on an nearly day by day foundation, they had been sustained and spanned the UK working with excessive degree criminals.”

EncroChat was deactivated in 2020 by a European investigation staff.

The Mirror has reached out to Peter Hooton for a remark.

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