A 22-year-old Heinz factory worker has been sentenced to three years in prison after being identified as the controller of a county lines drug supply operation. Cory Liptrot, from Wigan, admitted supplying heroin and crack cocaine, as well as possessing ammunition without a certificate.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Merseyside Police executed a search warrant at the home of Liptrot's grandmother, where he lived. Officers discovered a 9mm bullet inside a jar in a rucksack. Liptrot initially claimed the ammunition was a replica, but it was later test-fired successfully. No firearm was found.
Police also seized two Nokia mobile phones during the search. One of the devices had been used to send 7,074 bulk text messages advertising drugs for sale during September and October 2025. Liptrot was arrested at his partner's home on January 31, 2026. In interview, he claimed the bullet was a replica and that a quantity of white powder found was creatine.
The court heard that Liptrot had no previous convictions and had a difficult upbringing, being effectively abandoned by his parents and raised by his grandmother, whose uncle had recently committed suicide. Defence barrister Charles Lander said his client "took too many drugs" and was suffering from psychosis, believing he may have ADHD and autism. He left school at 16 and had worked legitimately in waste management, as a part-time tree surgeon, and at Heinz before his arrest.
Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver KC noted the seriousness of the offence: “You were selling the drugs to make profit for yourself... It was sophisticated in the use of technology.” However, he acknowledged Liptrot's previous good character, difficult background, and work history. Liptrot had claimed he was only a weekend cocaine user.
