Crack and heroin dealer who targeted seaside town jailed for 7 years.

Joel Henry was convicted of supplying crack cocaine and heroin in Hastings. Credit: Sussex Police.

A convicted drug-dealer who commuted daily from London to Hastings to distribute Class A substances has been jailed for 7 years.

Joel Henry was convicted of supplying of crack cocaine and heroin after a four-day trial at Chichester Crown Court.

The court heard that upon his arrest in St Leonards on 8 November 2023, Henry was found in possession of a burner style mobile phone.

Data analysis showed the 40-year-old had been travelling between his home in Lakeview Road, Lambeth, London, and Hastings on a daily basis to deal to vulnerable users on the street.

Further examination showed he had been sending out bulk messages advertising the sale of crack cocaine and heroin.

Investigator Julian Stokes of Sussex Police said: “This was another successful joint investigation to take a drug dealer pedalling dangerous Class A drugs off the streets of Hastings and St Leonards.

“We will continue to identify County Lines and those dealing these dangerous Class A drugs within our community and stop them.

"The sentencing of Henry demonstrates how serious the courts deal with those pedalling Class A on our streets.”

Henry already had two previous convictions for the supply of Class A drugs and therefore this third conviction meant that a mandatory seven years’ imprisonment was handed down to him.

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