Man Jailed After Taxi Call Exposes His Drug Crimes in Liverpool
Mark Gilbert was sentenced to two and a half years for drug trafficking after calling a taxi from a police station, revealing his criminal activities.
Liverpool, UK, Mark Gilbert, Heroin, Crack Cocaine, Drug Trafficking
The court heard that he was dealing drugs in the Wirral area for about four months last year. They found out he was sending out these “flare messages” to sell drugs, all from his home on Lancaster Avenue in Wallasey. He even got stopped by the police while he was using that same phone to call for a ride home after helping them with something else.
The prosecutor mentioned that they found over 3,200 messages on his phone, with some pretty obvious signals like “fat bits” and “three for 20.” Gilbert has a long history of trouble with the law, but this was his first drug-related charge.
His lawyer said Gilbert has struggled with mental health issues for years, including schizophrenia and depression. He had been clean for a while but fell back into old habits after Christmas 2023. He started hanging out with the wrong crowd and even resorted to shoplifting to fund his drug use.
When he admitted to being involved in the drug trade, he was on a video link from jail, muttering “go ‘ed” as he was sentenced. The judge pointed out that Gilbert’s addiction led him to this life of crime, and while he had made some progress, it all fell apart when he relapsed. It’s a tough situation, and it’s clear that drug addiction has serious consequences, not just for the users but for society as a whole.