Boy, 15, found 'dishevelled' at London Bridge station was being forced to sell heroin

A man and woman have been jailed for their involvement in a county lines operation which used a 15-year-old boy to sell heroin.

The young boy was approached by officers when he was spotted looking dishevelled and vulnerable at London Bridge station.

He initially told officers he had been staying with a friend but later admitted to carrying heroin.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers later established that Karen Seddon, 38, and Peace Bello, 21, were controlling the drugs line the child had been forced to work for.

The pair were arrested and Bello was found to be in in possession of a county line drugs line phone at the time of arrest.

Seddon, of Hassocks Gate in West Sussex, and Bello, of HM YOI Onley, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, forced labour and human trafficking.

On Friday (June 21) they appeared at Inner London Crown Court.

Seddon was jailed for two years and four months while Bello was jailed for four years.

Detective Inspector Matt Davies from the BTP County Lines Task Force said: “We will relentlessly target those crime groups who cowardly exploit vulnerable people and children.

“Working alongside our colleagues from other forces enhances our capabilities to catch those orchestrating these County Lines.

"Our County Lines Task Force works hard to tackle drugs on the railway network and to protect children and vulnerable adults who are often exploited by gangs into selling or moving drugs.

“This result should send a powerful message to those involved in this sort of activity - we will find you; you will be arrested, and we will disrupt the distribution of drugs by county lines dealers.”