Josh Leeson, 15, died in November 2020 from complications caused by taking ecstasy, York Crown Court heard.
Chris Moran, prosecuting, said the police investigation into his death revealed within hours that the gang was producing edibles using THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, and that other drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine were being stored there. He said that the Tongue Hall house where he had been was located.
Among those arrested at the home was 16-year-old Alexander Leonard Payne, who continued to deal drugs after being released on bail. Two months later, he was arrested near York University with ecstasy pills ready for sale and dealing LSD and cannabis in 2021.
In October 2022, he caught cocaine worth up to £20,800 on the road, £925 in cash in a stash, and a cannabis dealer, who was sentenced earlier this year, in the passenger seat on the A64 eastbound carriageway. He was arrested in a state of
Payne was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
Next to him in the dock was then 18-year-old Jay Connor Baxter. He was growing edible cannabis at the Tongue Hall home run by fellow gangster and mother of his six children, Sian Loh.
A third teenager, Joseph Gilchrist, then 17 and now 22, was jailed in January for intentionally obstructing a police investigation.
Judge Simon Hickey said: “For those of you who deal with class A drugs, this incident is an example of that. Class A drugs cause deterioration, misery and death. There was a death in this incident.”
Josh and two other 14-year-old teenagers were admitted to York Hospital on September 27, 2020, all suffering from drug overdoses. The remaining two survived.
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As Josh's family watched in the general public gallery, Moran said the police investigation began after being called by hospital staff on September 27, 2020.
Payne, now 20, formerly of Weldrake and then of Overdale Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis in connection with Josh's death. Possession of LSD and cannabis with intent to supply to another, possession of ketamine in 2021, possession of cocaine with intent to supply in October 2022.
Ayman Khokhar said Payne had a difficult upbringing and began using cocaine in his early teens. He “opened his eyes” and turned to drug dealing, doing so to fund his addiction.
He was found dead after his brother Edward Payne, who the court heard was involved in the 2020 crime, committed suicide. Since his arrest in 2022, he had committed no crime and had been dealing with a drug habit.
“He is (now) acting in a way that shows he has learned his lesson,” Kokar said. “He took steps to put his teenage crimes behind him from October 2022.”
Payne earned a degree in social work and wanted to use her life experiences to give back to the community.
Baxter, now 22, of Lime Tree Avenue, New Arswick, and Roe, now 38, of Tongue Hall, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture THC on the day of trial. Both were given 18-month community orders. Baxter must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation work, while Rowe must carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.
Regarding Mr Baxter, Ruksanda Hussain said his involvement was limited to the production of edible food and that he had no knowledge of the scale of the business. This was his first crime and he had no offenses since 2021, when he was convicted of marijuana possession. He had been using cannabis to cope with a trauma he suffered several years ago.
In 2024, he ran his own business and became financially independent.
In Roe's case, Laura Addy said she knew edible cannabis was being made at her home, but she didn't know it was being sold. She thought they were given to her by a friend.
She had a very busy and complicated life as she had many children living with her. The stress of the investigation and trial permanently deteriorated her health.
