Jail for Leeds gang over £24,000 drugs haul

West Yorkshire Police officers found half a kilo of heroin, cocaine and crack coaine when they searched the property on Brander Street, Gipton.

The discovery made on August 7 last year as officers made enquiries in the hours after Adeel Ahmed was left with 80 pellet wounds to his chest, back and neck after being shot by Luke Callaghan.

Callaghan - known to his gang as ‘Meathead’ - is serving a 30-year sentence after being found guilty of attempted murder at a trial earlier this year.

four other members of Callaghan’s gang - including his brother Lewis - have now been handed jail sentences totalling 22 years for drug offences.

The court heard Lewis Callaghan, 21, and Michael Ojengbede, 19, were arrested after being stopped in a taxi by officers investigating the shooting.

Lewis was in possession of a knife and ‘business cards’ linking him to a drug supply phone line.

Ojengbede ran from the vehcile and threw away two mobile phones containing messages about supply as well as an “accounting record” of people who owed the gang money.

The arrested led police to the house on Brander Street, which was searched and the drugs were found in packages around the house along with amounts of cash.

The court heard Athelia King, 23, was the tenant of the property. She has previous convictions for drug trafficking.

Her brother Garnett King, 20, was also involved in the illegal business. His fingerprints were found on various items, including a food mixer which contained traces of cocaine.

Lewis Callaghan and Athelia King were found guilty of three offences of possession of a class A drug with intent to supply. Lewis was also sentenced for other offences including three offences of breaching are restraining order, criminal damage, assault and affray. He was jailed for seven year.

Athelia King was jailed for six years.

Garnett King was jailed for five years and Ojengbede was jailed for four years after they both admitted three offences of possession of a class A drug with intent to supply.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Dunkerley, of West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “These four were caught with large amounts of cocaine and heroin due to some excellent real-time work by officers on the ground on the night of the shooting.

“Luke Callaghan was given a thirty year sentence earlier this year for attempted murder.

“These people are his criminal associates involved in the organised supply of Class A drugs which was the background to the attack.

“This case clearly shows the intrinsic link between the criminal use of firearms on the streets and the supply of drugs in our communities.

“Information from the local community was a key element in the successful conclusion of this investigation and we would like to thank all those who assisted.

“We will continue to use all available tactics to target the organised supply of drugs and the associated use of firearms to protect our communities from offenders like these.”

*In February this year, Luke Callaghan was told he will be aged at least 42 before he is allowed to apply for parole after being convicted of the attempted murder.

The jury heard the shooting was likely to be linked to drugs and someone associated with Mr Ahmed may have owed money to Callaghan’s gang.

Mr Ahmed was shot after being confronted by Callaghan who was with a group of other men in a BMW at 11.45pm on August 6 last year.

Half an hour earlier Callaghan’s gang had been armed with machete’s when they confronted a group Mr Ahmed was with on Nice View, but they were overpowered.

Callaghan returned with the firearm and shot Mr Ahmed in Sandhurst Terrace, from a distance of about ten feet. Callaghan then left to go to a party with his friends

Callaghan was described as the “muscle” for enforcing the gang’s debts.

Judge Tom Bayliss, QC, said: “The attempted murder was premeditated and planned. I am quite sure your animosity towards Adeel Ahmed was your perceived need to enforce a drug debt.

“Having been chased away by him you armed yourself, you arranged transport and sought him out.

“Having found him you shot him without mercy in the back.

“After that you went to a party. You have shown absolutely no remorse.”