Kyle Nelson, a drug dealer who escaped from prison and fled to Scotland before travelling to Thailand, has been jailed for 11 years. Nelson, 38, was a key figure in a County Lines network selling heroin, crack cocaine and other drugs in York, North Yorkshire.
Escape and life abroad
Nelson was serving a nine-year sentence for conspiracy to supply cocaine, imposed in 2022, and had been moved to an open prison. In 2024, he escaped while on day release, travelling to Scotland, Ireland, and then Thailand with the help of criminal associates. He used a forged passport in the name of "Carl Green" and also went by "James Tetley" to avoid detection.
In Thailand, he lived a lavish lifestyle, buying expensive items including a Rolex watch worth thousands of pounds. Images released by police show him smiling in a police van, posing on a jet ski, and holding the Rolex.
Return and new drug line
Nelson, originally from Manchester but based in Acomb, York, returned to the UK in 2025. Soon after, he began running a class-A drug operation codenamed the 'Banksy line'. County Lines refers to drug networks run by organised crime groups that cross county boundaries, using text message hotlines to reach customers.
North Yorkshire Police's Operation Sentry, which targets serious organised crime, worked with intelligence analysts to dismantle the network and track Nelson. He evaded capture by moving between addresses and being harboured by associates, but in April 2025, police stopped and searched a vehicle travelling from Wetherby to York, finding a phone with Banksy line information.
Arrest and sentencing
Nelson was arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply of class-A drugs and unlawful escape from prison. On Wednesday, August 12, he was found guilty by a unanimous decision at York Crown Court and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
PC Wayne Sharrocks of North Yorkshire Police said: "Kyle Nelson used his extensive criminal network to escape from a nine-year prison sentence for drug supply offences, flee the country, and live a life of luxury abroad. When he finally returned to the UK, he immediately continued selling crack cocaine and heroin on the streets of York using his own brand name 'Banksy'."
He added: "Operation Sentry works closely with intelligence analysts and other operational support units within North Yorkshire Police to tackle county drug lines operating. In this instance we were able to gather evidence, attribute it to Nelson and arrest him within weeks of becoming aware of the Banksy drugs line and put Nelson back behind bars, where he belongs." The 11-year sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence, and police continue to work to stop county lines in North Yorkshire.
