A county lines drug dealer, who ran a gang supplying the streets of Wiltshire with Class A drugs, has been jailed.
Ousman Barry, 29, from Birmingham, was sentenced on Wednesday (30/08) to six years and three 
months’ imprisonment at Swindon Crown Court following a lengthy Wiltshire Police investigation.
He has also been given a five-year Serious Crime Prevention Order and a confiscation order of more than £40,000.
Three other defendants in a gang run by Barry had their sentences deferred for six months, while a further two were given suspended sentences.
The investigation into the gang operating under the name ‘Hector’ dates back to August 2018, when class A drugs messages were being sent out to drug users on the streets of Chippenham and Calne.
Officers from the then Fortitude team identified Barry – a Birmingham-based dealer who preyed and exploited young and vulnerable people and used their addresses to pushing class A drugs – as the man behind the gang.
Barry was identified as making regular trips between Birmingham and Wiltshire, which led to another member of the Hector network, Richard Headford, 47, of Pawlette Road, Bristol, being identified as a driver.
Two months later, officers conducted a stop of Headford’s vehicle in Chippenham and located Headford and a 15-year-old boy (who can’t be named for legal reasons) from Wembley.
They were found with £2,230 worth of crack cocaine and heroin, a flick knife, £411 in cash, plus several mobile phones which were linked to Class A drug supply.
The investigation continued, as officers worked to identify key players in the drugs conspiracy and build the evidence against Barry and Headford.
Three months later in January 2019, a number of proactive arrests were made after two vehicles were located in Chippenham and Trenchard Lines, Upavon.
Peter Collyer, 54, of Granville Square, Birmingham, and Ashley Bowen, 33, of Stones Green, Birmingham, were stopped in a Vauxhall Corsa, and were found with £900 in cash, several mobile phones and cocaine valued at £840.
The Corsa had been hired by Collyer, and later that evening, Barry was stopped while driving a silver Ford Fiesta, also hired by Collyer, and found in possession of key mobile phones used for the Hector drugs line.
A search of Barry’s Birmingham address located further class A drug paraphernalia, as well as traces of class A drugs.
The investigation continued to grow as officers identified more people involved in the line.
As the case was brought together with new evidence, officers discovered in April 2020 that Barry was operating out of Calne using the drugs line name, ‘H’, after officers spotted a suspected drugs deal in Bryans Close Road, Calne, taking place.
Following the deal, officers stopped and searched Shaun Collins, 50, of Phelps Parade, Calne, who had £40 cash from the sale of class A drugs on him.
Officers then conducted a search of Collins’ home address, where Barry was found alongside a key county lines drugs phone used to send messages offering Class A drugs. He was arrested again.
The drug lines operated by Barry were valued during the relevant time period as having made around £33,000.
Despite the investigation being hampered by the pandemic, the lengthy drugs conspiracy enquiries carried out by the Fortitude team led to members of the Hector county line being sentenced on Wednesday for a number of Class A drugs offences.
The sentences are as follows:
Ousman Barry – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin as well as a being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. Sentenced to six years and three months imprisonment
Richard Headford – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Sentence deferred for six months
Ashley Bowen – pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. Sentence deferred for six months
Peter Collyer – pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. Sentence deferred for six months
Shaun Collins – pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin 19 months suspended for 18 months.
Charleigh Millward – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Sentenced to 22 months, suspended for 2 years.
Barry has also been given a Serious Crime Prevention Order which will run for five years from the date of his release from prison, and a confiscation order of £43,315.71 which will require him to pay back this balance over the course of his life should he come into money.
Investigating officer DS Shanklin from Wiltshire Police said: “Wednesday's sentencing has been a combination of dedicated, proactive policing over a number of years to target those who cause most harm to our communities.
“This was a team-led investigation that involved support from a number of different specialist departments to bring offenders to justice.
“The Serious Crime Prevention Order that will commence from the day that Barry is released is a stark warning to those who wish to cause harm and disruption and misery to the communities within Wiltshire.
“This order for five years will require Barry to notify his local police force of his address and any subsequent changes, his mobile phone details including number, IMEI, Sim Card and Pin code.
“This order is another tool in the Police toolkit to protect those in our communities as a result of this conviction.”
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