Leeds drug gang 'chief executive' locked up for 12 years for his role in charge of major heroin and cocaine supply operation

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A gangster described as the 'chief executive' of a major heroin and cocaine supply conspiracy which 'spanned the Pennines' has been jailed for 12 years.

Leeham Stewart controlled a gang in which criminals made regular trips to Blackpool to collect drugs before storing them at properties in Leeds.

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Twelve members of the gang - including Stewart's father - have now been jailed for a total of more than 80 years over the conspiracy which West Yorkshire Police managed to crack during a six month operation.Judge Robin Mairs previously described Stewart as the 'chief executive' of the illegal operation at an earlier Leeds Crown Court hearing.

Sentencing him yesterday (March 3), Judge Mairs said: "You were effectively the head of that organisation and played a leading role.

Leeham Stewart was jailed for 12 years at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.Leeham Stewart was jailed for 12 years at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.
Leeham Stewart was jailed for 12 years at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.

"You have accepted as much in broad terms yourself.

"The supply of drugs was not at street level.

"This was a wholesale supply of Class A drugs of a very high purity.

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"You are a professional supplier of Class A drugs and have been for many years."

Stewart, 35, of Woodkirk Garth, Cookridge, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.

The six-month conspiracy involved at least 10kg of high-purity Class A drugs before police arrested the offenders.

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The court heard how Stewart is also likely to have been involved in drug gang rivalry in the Chapeltown and Harehills areas of Leeds.

In June 2018, Stewart drove two other gang members - Sebastian Matande and Munashe Munyurwa - to Harehills Lane where the pair dragged a 15-year-old boy off his bike and subjected him to an horrific machete attack in public.Mark McKone, prosecuting, said the gang was involved in the wholesale bulk buying of high purity heroin and cocaine during the conspiracy which took place between February and August, 2019.

He said: "The prosecution say that Leeham Stewart was the person who was in charge of this operation.

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"Leeham Stewart was involved right throughout the time period. He usually got others to move drugs for him.

"He used many different cars.

"He features a lot in the telephone evidence, especially shortly before and shortly after drugs have been transferred."

The court heard the gang members are all from Leeds but a major part of the operation saw some of them making journeys to Blackpool.

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In September last year, six members of the gang received custodial terms totalling almost 50 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

In January this year Stewart's father, Michael Stewart, and two others were handed jail sentences totalling more than a decade after they pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

A week later two of Stewart's 'trusted lieutenants' were jailed after they were caught transporting £25,000 of heroin across Leeds.

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Shofiqul Islam and Arif Islam were arrested shortly after police observed them meeting with Stewart in a car park in Roundhay.

Stewart has served lengthy prison sentences in the past for drug dealing.

In 2002 he was given a 42-month sentence and in 2011 he was locked up for 54 months.

In 2006 he was given a four-year sentence for robbery.