Mother was head of Darlington heroin network involving son and former partner

Tracey Hay and Gary Hull were joined in their illicit enterprise by Hay’s former partner, Rory Eyles, as they sold the Class A drug from their homes in the Denes area of Darlington.

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Gary Hull, known as Bull, was the first to be approached by the undercover officer in December 2018 when he ended up selling him a £25 deal.

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Teesside Crown Court heard how the a few days later the officer returned for a second deal and Hull told the officer that he had just got out of court before selling him the heroin

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said the officer returned the following day, December 11 and it was at this point that he was introduced to Hull’s mother, Tracey Hay, pictured below, who was described as the head of the team.

On the next occasion the officer was sent to Eyles home, where Hay was staying on Harrison Terrace, where he was handed another deal of heroin while people in the house were clearly smoking drugs.

The officer continued to try to contact the ringleader, Hay, but had to eventually return to her son to get sorted for his deal.

Mr Towers said Hull, pictured below, told the officer that he didn’t want people coming to his mother’s home as she had been raided by the police.

And on the final occasion on January 10 last year, the undercover officer attempted to buy a larger quantity of heroin.

Following their arrest all three eventually pleaded guilty to separate charges concerning the supply of heroin.

The court heard how Hay had been convicted of drug dealing on three earlier occasions and how both Hull and Eyles, pictured below, had their own drug addictions.

Simon Perkins, representing Hay, urged the judge to pass the lowest possible sentence bearing in mind she had pleaded guilty.

Hull's barrister, Ismael Uddin said his client used the drug dealing 'profits' to fund his own habits.

While Eyles' legal representative, Michele Turner, made the unusual plea for her client to be imprisoned to help him tackle his own drug addiction.

Judge Deborah Sherwin jailed Hay, 48, of Havelock Street, Darlington for five and a half years for her key role in the drug supply.

Hull, 31, of Cartmell Terrace, Darlington was sentenced to two years and four months while Eyles, 42, of Surtees Street, was imprisoned for ten months.

The judge said: "From the evidence available to me, I have no doubt that this enterprise was the enterprise of Tracey Hay.

"You have an extremely lengthy list of antecedence relating to being concerned in the supply of heroin.

"It is quite clear that on and off over the years you have returned to dealing in drugs whenever you feel the need arises."