A drug dealer who called himself "J Flabs" has been jailed after police found a stash of cocaine hidden down his shorts during a visit to his mother's house. Connor Prescott, 27, of Cambridge Road in Southport, was sentenced to 40 months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday.
Prescott, a university graduate, had only recently been released from prison when he became involved in supplying cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine. He had previously been jailed for his role in rioting in Southport following the fatal stabbings of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar.
Despite being handcuffed, Prescott attempted to escape by vaulting a fence in his mother's back garden. A judge warned him as he was sent back to jail: "You are at a crossroads in your life. It will be for you to prove that you can live a better life."
Police identify 'J Flabs' drug line
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Merseyside Police identified a county lines drug supply operation known as "J Flabs", which advertised cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine for sale to users in the Southport area between March and May of this year. Prescott was found to be the man in control after the phone used to send out these flare messages was used to book a taxi to his then flat on Waterloo Road in Birkdale and contact his parents and girlfriend.
Jonathan Keane, prosecuting, described how the 27-year-old was also captured on CCTV purchasing a top-up for the mobile in question at a convenience store. This led to police attending his mum's home on Cambridge Road in Southport on August 4.
With his mum having answered the door to officers, Prescott was found sitting on a sofa in the living room while attempting to hide a large package of drugs down the back of his shorts. This was subsequently found to comprise 64 bags of cocaine, weighing a combined total of 38g and valued at between £1,500 and £2,600 at street level.
A Nokia burner phone and two curved swords were also seized from the address. With Prescott having been handcuffed, he fled into the back garden and attempted to climb over a rear fence but was pulled down by police constables before he could escape.
Student's party lifestyle led to 'very significant drug debt'
His criminal record shows three previous convictions for three offences, including receiving a suspended prison sentence for possession of cannabis with intent to supply in 2020. He was then given 28 months behind bars for violent disorder in August 2024, with the ECHO reporting that he had thrown bricks, masonry and wheelie bins towards police during large scale rioting in the town on the evening of July 30 that year.
Matthew O'Neill, defending, told the court: "He became addicted to drugs himself and very sadly fell into that typical type of hole that many young people in this city find themselves in when they become addicted to hard drugs. He is university educated. In 2022, he graduated from Edge Hill University with a degree in business management."
"He was raised well by a hard working family and had variety of jobs while studying at university. Quite simply, he took the student life beyond the extreme while at university, out socialising, using class A drugs and falling into the trap of becoming addicted to a variety of drugs, but in particularly cocaine. A very significant debt was built up with local dealers."
"He accepts full responsibility for his actions. He should have just used his time in a lawful way and utilised the degree that he obtained to gain employment, but now he will face the consequences. He does not seek to blame anyone else but himself."
"Since his time in custody, he has used it as productively as he possibly can. He works. He now knows, and he believes it is a pivotal moment for him, that, until he addresses his problems, until he matures, further custodial sentences await. He is confident now that this will be the last time he troubles these courts. The embarrassment, the shame that he has brought upon his family is acting as the motivation to ensure this will be last time he frequents these courts."
Escapee 'didn't get very far'
Prescott admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy, escaping from lawful custody and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for 40 months.
Sentencing, Recorder Nicola Daley said: "Whilst still on licence, having been released from the sentence that you received for violent disorder, you became involved in both the supply of class A and B drugs. You were in control of a graft phone that was in use between the 23rd of March and the 24th of May."
"That was a phone used to send out multiple flare messages advertising different drugs available to those on the streets. When police detained and handcuffed you, you managed to escape for a short time but did not get very far."
"Anybody that involves themselves in the supply of class A drugs should expect to go to prison. The supply of those drugs causes significant harm, not only to the individuals who use them but to their families and the wider community."
"Those who traffic those substances are profiting financially from that addiction and misery suffered by those families. The effects of the supply of class A drugs go beyond those users though. They lead to far more crime in society. Those users commit offences in order to feed their habits."
"There are many examples of individuals using both class A and, increasingly, class B drugs such as ketamine that suffer significant ill health. That too causes pressure on society by the use of resources such as hospitals that could be treating other people. So the supply of drugs not only fuels exploitation and undermines the safety and wellbeing of society, it can also result in violence and violence between groups."
"You are someone who, in my judgement, played a significant role in a street supply business that was supplying multiple different drugs. You are not somebody without prospects. You completed a university course. You are still only 27."
"I am told that you are using your time in custody constructively. You are at a crossroads in your life. Either you can continue to involve yourself in crime and receive longer and longer prison sentences, or you can use the next period constructively, get further qualifications, work with those in the prison environment, stay out of trouble, then you will be released. Then, it will be for you to prove, not only to yourself but to your family, that you can live a better life."
"I accept that you are now remorseful. I do hope you will use this sentence constructively. You are still relatively young. You are somebody who has shown remorse and you are somebody who has some prospects."
