Man who forced children to deal cocaine jailed

A man who coerced children into dealing cocaine and heroin has been jailed.

Arron Kenny, 24, used threats of violence to get young people involved in his crime in Tameside, Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

Kenny, of Ashton Old Road in the city, was found guilty of supplying cocaine, heroin and cannabis and was handed an 11-year sentence on Monday.

Sgt Matthew Elliot, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “Using violence or the fear of violence to get the vulnerable in our communities to do deal their drugs is bad enough, but to use a child is just unforgiveable."

Sgt Elliot said the force was "committed to protecting the children and we are hopeful that this result allows the victims to put the experience behind them and allows them to live as the children they are."

The court heard Kenny ran a drugs line known as Sam N Marco, coordinating the supply and cultivation of cannabis and movement of various drugs from place to place.

He used children to help him to supply drugs, including holding the drugs and the drugs line mobile phone and collecting money, police said.

Kenny also used a vulnerable adult to help with his illicit enterprise.

Police said he had tried to evade justice when first arrested in 2021, briefly disappearing before officers caught up with him later that year.

Officers went on to seize a large amount of Class A drugs and cash from his Manchester apartment during a raid in December 2021.

They found Kenny had been relying on a driver to take him out to do his drug dealing as he had two broken legs at time.

He was arrested as part of Operation Charger, which focused on the supply of Class A and Class B drugs in the Tameside area between 2019 and 2021.

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