A so-called 'respectable' couple's double life running a county lines cocaine operation was spectacularly unraveled by their own casual text messages, a court has heard.
Dean and Stacey Clarke, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, appeared at Northampton Crown Court after a police investigation exposed their illicit trade. Officers discovered a trove of incriminating messages that used coded language like 'nudge nudge' to discuss drug deals.
The damning evidence:
- Texts referred to cocaine as 'nudge' or 'nudge nudge'
- Messages discussed meeting times and locations for deals
- Dean Clarke was identified as the main supplier
- Stacey Clarke acted as his 'business manager', organising transactions
Police executed a raid on the couple's home, uncovering not only the digital evidence but also a quantity of cocaine, cash, and drug paraphernalia. The operation demonstrated how drug dealers attempt to hide in plain sight within communities.
His Honour Judge David Herbert KC condemned the couple for profiting from the addiction and misery of others. Dean Clarke received a prison sentence of three years and four months, while Stacey Clarke was given a two-year sentence suspended for two years, plus rehabilitation requirements.
The case highlights the sophisticated methods used by police to combat drug networks, particularly those that use modern communication channels to conduct their illegal business.
