Colchester: Two jailed in drugs investigation

Jailed - Theresa Donovan and Jordan Gibbins 

Five people have today been sentenced as part of a complex operation into drug supply in Colchester which was led by specialist anti-drug officers.

Jordan Gibbins, Nigel Parkes, Theresa Donovan, Stuart Edwards and Sian-Leigh McDonald all admitted their parts in the supply operation.

Gibbins and Donovan were jailed today at Ipswich Crown Court while Parkes, Edwards and McDonald were handed suspended sentences.

Officers from our serious violence unit launched the operation in June 2021 after noting a rise in violent night-time incidents, which we suspected were linked to the sale of cocaine in Colchester.

Using a variety of tactics, we were able to identify a number of people involved in the sale of drugs in the town, which we could also link to incidents of serious violence.

That operation led to us to uncover several drug lines in operation in Colchester.

During the investigation, the sale of drugs was witnessed by undercover police officers on a number of occasions, including in four licensed venues in Colchester, including the Leather Bottle, the Royal Mortar and two town centre pubs, and at a petrol station in Shrub End Road.

Through those deals, we were able to work to expose the network, which included Gibbins, Parkes, Donovan, Roberts and McDonald.

Gibbins, 29, of Weyland Drive, Stanway, admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

As part of the police operation, he was witnessed a number of times supplying Class A drugs in the Royal Mortar pub, bragging to customers about being “always on” for business.

Sitting at Ipswich Crown Court today, His Honour Judge Martyn Levett sentenced Gibbins to fours years and two months in prison.

A serious crime prevention order was also granted for five years, which means when he is released from prison, he is only allowed to own one mobile phone, which must be registered in his name. Its IMEI number and details of the provider must also be supplied to us.

Gibbins also admitted a criminal benefit of £10,380. His remaining assets have been confiscated.

Theresa Donovan, 31, of Magdalen Green, Colchester, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis and possessing criminal property.

She had bragged about being “busy and into everything” and “had a robber” who was able to steal items from a high street department store in Colchester.

She supplied both cocaine and cannabis from her home which she shared with her children.

She was arrested at her home in August 2021 and officers seized drugs and other drug paraphernalia, as well as a mobile phone connected to a drug line which had been sending marketing messages. She was then released on bail.

A second warrant was then executed at her home in December 2021 during which officers found a significant amount of cannabis as well as a large amount of children’s designer clothing with the tags still on the items.

She was sentenced to a total of three years and eight months in prison.
Nigel Parkes, 56, of Layer Road, in Abberton, admitted being concerned in the supply of a Class A drugs.

Parkes’ role was to hook people into the syndicate and was responsible for arranging the sale of cocaine from the Leather Bottle pub.

Judge Levett sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for two years.
He must also complete 180 hours of unpaid work and will be subject to a curfew between 7pm and 7am until March 2023.

Stuart Edwards, 34, of Gazelle Court, Colchester, and Sian-Leigh McDonald, 26, North Station Road, Colchester, admitted being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug. Edwards additionally admitted three counts of supplying a Class A drug.

They were arrested together. Edwards had five phones which were seized, which showed plans to re-stock their drug supply, alongside what officers believed to be a ‘tick list’ of customers.

Edwards, a user himself who was “on a mobile crusade to deal drugs” in order to pay for his addiction was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years and was made the subject of a curfew from today until 8 March 2023 between 7pm and 5am.

An application for a serious crime prevention order was also granted, which means he will only allowed to own one mobile phone, which must be registered in his name. Its IMEI number and details of the provider must also be supplied to us.

McDonald was sentenced to 18 months in prison which was suspended for two years, 150 hours of unpaid work and was made the subject of a curfew for five months between 10pm to 7am.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Neal Miller, of our serious violence unit, said:

“Drugs create significant harm within our communities and our teams work 24 hours a day, seven days a week in order to disrupt and dismantle their supply.
“This operation was complex and involved a number of different tactics, all of which helped us to identify where these drugs were being supplied, how they were being supplied and by whom.
“I am in no doubt that Colchester is a safer place because of the success of this operation.
“To those intent on selling drugs in our county, the message is clear; we won’t tolerate it. You will be oblivious to us building a case against you and when we come to arrest you, you will have very little option but to admit your guilt, as these people sentenced today did.”