“Catch me if you can, mush!”
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“You’ll need some good luck you know, boys”
“Next time get a picture with me”
“Catch me if you can, mush”
These were the words used by Lee Coleman to Operation Expedite officers six days before he was caught dealing class A drugs on Johno’s field in Scarborough.
The 32-year-old (pictured above), of no fixed address, was sentenced to three years and nine months at York Crown Court last week (Thursday 26 January 2023) after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine.
On Saturday 6 August 2022, plain clothes officers were on patrol on Johno’s Field when Coleman was seen on a small girl’s bike.
He was meeting a known drug user and he headed off the field to the user’s address.
Coleman left the address a short time later and when officers attempted to stop him on his bike, he tried to evade them in a narrow alleyway.
However, the detectives were able to grab him off the bike and arrest him.
Coleman was searched and was found with 104 wraps of crack cocaine and 31 wraps of heroin hidden in his underwear.
He was remanded into custody and eventually pleaded guilty to the offences prior to a trial.
Only six days before Coleman was captured, he was encountered in Scarborough Town Centre where he filmed police officers on his mobile phone and arrogantly suggested he would not be caught.
How wrong he was.
Officer in the case, DC Darrel Temple of Operation Expedite, said:
“Coleman goaded us to catch him if we could and we did just that. The next picture he had taken was in Scarborough Custody.
“Class A drugs and Class A drug dealers are a scourge on Scarborough, and we will continue to take them off the streets at every opportunity.
“Individuals like Coleman bring misery to the community and he is now rightly serving a significant prison sentence for his actions.
“We continue to encourage the local community to report suspected drug dealing activity as we will act and target individuals who inflict the misery of class A drugs and fuel addiction on the people of Scarborough.
“It's an ongoing battle and drug dealers working within the town and those travelling in need to know that, eventually, we will catch up with them and they will face justice.”
Reporting information about drugs-related crime
Anyone with any information is urged to make an online report via the North Yorkshire Police website or call 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room.
Always dial 999 if an emergency response is required.
If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or go to their website.
The signs of drug dealing can include
- Increased callers at a property at all times of the day or night
- Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
- Anti-social behaviour at a property
- Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
- Drug-related rubbish – small plastic bags, syringes
- Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
Get help for drug and alcohol addiction
- North Yorkshire Rise– young people's specialist drug and alcohol service- freephone 08000 14 14 80 (option 2) – uk/service/nyrise/
- North Yorkshire Horizons- adult specialist drug and alcohol service - freephone 08000 14 14 80 – nyhorizons.org.uk
- Changing Lives- City of York Drug and Alcohol Service - 01904 464 680 - changing-lives.org.uk/services/drug-alcohol/york-drug-alcohol-support-services/
- NHS- uk/live-well/healthy-body/drug-addiction-getting-help/
- FRANK helpline and information- https://www.talktofrank.com/