Leeds drug criminal jailed for hiding phone from police

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 14:02 · Archive

A Leeds man jailed for running a county lines drug operation has been returned to prison for breaching a ban on having unauthorised phones.

Leeham Stewart, aged 39 and of no fixed abode, was jailed again at Leeds Crown Court on 13 October after being found with an unauthorised phone. He was previously imprisoned in 2022 after controlling a county lines drug operation in which gang members made regular trips to Blackpool to collect class A drugs and store them at properties in Leeds.

Following his earlier conviction, Stewart was made subject to a Serious Harm Prevention Order banning him from having a phone unless police knew about it. He breached this order during his last period in custody when another phone was discovered, and again on 6 August this year when he was found with a further unauthorised phone.

His Honour Judge Stubbs KC questioned why the drug dealer wanted a phone that police did not know about. The judge told Stewart he was 'a serious criminal', saying he would not 'insult him' by describing him as anything else.

How it is being reported

• Leeds 'serious criminal' hides 'ghost phone' from policeLeeham Stewart is back behind barsLeedsLive · 13 Oct, 13:45
• 'Serious' Leeds drug criminal returned to prison for having 'ghost phone'He could face the next six years behind barsYorkshire Evening Post · 13 Oct, 11:15

In this story: Leeham Stewart · Leeds Crown Court · Leeds · Blackpool

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