Dealer who ran the 'Ginge Line' unmasked after he bought a top-up for graft phone

A drug dealer who hid behind the pseudonym "Ginge" was unmasked when he bought a top-up for his mobile phone. Matthew Anglesey was also identified as being the operator of the county lines heroin and crack cocaine dealing operation after using his graft phone to book taxis from his house.

Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, that the "Ginge Line" was used to supply illicit class A substances in the Birkenhead area between February and July this year. Two phone numbers which were used to send out "flare messages" advertising drugs for sale to known users were attributed to the 32-year-old, of Ford Way in Upton, Wirral, after he was captured on CCTV purchasing a top-up for one.

Ken Grant, prosecuting, described how Anglesey also used both to book taxis from his address. The devices had meanwhile "co-located" with his own personal phone and at the homes of him and his partner.

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This led to his arrest on July 18. Under interview, Anglesey "denied all offences relating to the supply of controlled drugs" although he conceded that he was caught on camera "topping up one of the graft ones at the Queens public house".

He has a total of nine previous convictions for 12 offences. These include 32 months in a young offenders' institute for possession of cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply in 2013 and a further 30 months for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine in the Exeter area in 2020.

John Weate, defending, told the court: "He is the father of two children, aged three and seven. His daughter, aged three, is autistic and he has an active role to play in both of their lives. He has a different side to him. He is a man who, in his teens, involved himself in the misuse of controlled substances, and that led to his conviction in 2013.

"Coming out from that sentence, there was a significant period of time where he was out of trouble. However, at the back end of 2015, he had another son who very sadly passed away.

"He did not deal with that very well. He went back to drugs, accrued a debt and involved himself in the 2020 offences. He accepts that he has let himself and his family down.

"He has now settled into his remand. He has a number of qualifications and is quite intelligent. He is trying to make himself useful. He understands that he has a significant period of time to organise himself and perhaps get bereavement counselling."

Anglesey admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for 2,045 days - this being the minimum seven-year term for a third strike drug dealer reduced by 20% credit for a guilty plea.

Sentencing, Judge David Swinnerton said: "I suspect you know as well as I what is coming. You are what is known as a third striker. I put it very briefly. You were running a graft line. You were plainly, over a period of some four-and-a-half months, running that graft line, no doubt to make a substantial profit.

"When you are in custody, have a think about how you want to live the rest of your life. You have got two young children. See if you can break away from this lifestyle."