A county line drug dealer who robbed an Isle of Grain shopkeeper has been jailed.
On 5 October 2019, Oakley Ellis went to a store in Church Street, Cliffe where he selected a number of food items before approaching the counter.
After briefly speaking to a member of staff, Ellis suddenly punched them and ran from the premises without paying.
CCTV
Patrols attended the scene and Ellis, of Parkway, Erith was later recognised from CCTV footage recovered at the shop.
Following the incident, an investigation by Kent Police identified that Ellis was also involved in the supply of Class A drugs to local dealers in Gillingham.
As a result of these enquiries, officers attended Southend Close, Eltham, Greater London on 18 November, where they saw Ellis standing next to a car.
As they approached him, Ellis took items from his right trouser pocket and threw them through the open car window.
Arrest
He was arrested and when the car was searched, two packages were recovered containing 20.72 grams of crack cocaine and 6.85 grams of cocaine.
His phone was seized and officers located text messages relating to the supply of Class A drugs.
Ellis was later charged with robbery, being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and being concerned in the supply of heroin. He pleaded guilty to these charges at Maidstone Crown Court on 12 August 2021.
Sentenced
On Wednesday 8 December, the 24-year-old was sentenced to two years and six months in prison in relation to these indictments.
At the same hearing he also received an additional two years and six months’ imprisonment for offences committed in Hull; namely possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of ketamine with intent to supply and possessing criminal property (a quantity of cash). In total Ellis received five years’ imprisonment.
Detective Constable Mark Donovan, of the Chief Constable’s Crime Squad, said: ‘This criminal was very much involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine from London to the Medway towns.
‘In spite of the profits he undoubtedly made through this illegal trade, he did not think twice about assaulting a shop worker to avoid paying a small amount of cash for a few items of food.
‘He has now been brought to justice for his various crimes in Kent and the north of England after our proactive investigators tracked him down in south London. It is only right that he is now starting a lengthy prison sentence.’