Kettering cocaine boss Freddie Allen ran gang that used local pub as base for exchanging drugs and proceeds of their conspiracy

Six men who ran a cocaine network across Kettering had hundreds of thousands going through their bank accounts during a three-year conspiracy.

Details of the eye-opening plot were revealed for the first time as half-a-dozen middle-aged locals faced a sentencing hearing at Northampton Crown Court on Friday (December 1).

As they waited four hours for their hearing on the concourse of the court in Lady’s Lane, the gang and their families laughed and joked, although all were clearly nervous as they entered the dock with large holdalls.

Prosecutor Jeremy Janes told the court that the men dealt ‘significant’ quantities of cocaine and that large sums of money were passing through their accounts between May 2020 and March 2023. All had admitted being part of the conspiracy.

Thirty-year-old Freddie Jack Allen, a trained electrician who declared just £12,000 of legitimate income per annum, had £223,000 transferred through his bank account during the conspiracy.

He was using Matthew Anthony Kenneth Coote, Ricki Carl Johnston, and Callum Head to run their own lines under him, while a more-reluctant Daniel Fleming was his right-hand man, left to run the logistics while Allen swanned off to Ibiza.

Former soldier Daniel Raymond Towns was used by Coote to run his drugs around Kettering.

The six were masquerading as respectable locals in the Wayfarers Inn in London Road, but behind their shirt-and-V-neck-jumper combos was a gang turning over hundreds of thousands in cocaine profits. Some of their deals in the pub were being done as early as 11am.

‘Need another two lights for tomorrow’

Messages exchanged between members showed them running through large amounts of cocaine quickly – asking Allen to top-up their supplies to ensure they didn’t run out of the Class-A drug.

In May 2020, Coote was arrested in his flat in Windmill Avenue, with officers seizing his phone. Investigators found messages suggesting him and Callum Head were buying large quantities of cocaine from Allen, and using Towns as a runner.

Police also found £1,850 stashed in Coote’s flat.

Two years later in May 2022, Head was arrested for another matter and more messages were found suggesting the gang were meeting at The Wayfarers’ Inn to exchange drugs and money.

On his phone were also messages from Johnston, suggesting he was running low on supplies.

The men used a crude code to try to disguise their criminal enterprise, substituting the names of drugs for electrical items.

Head sent a message to Allen on May 26, 2022, saying: “2k all in mate. Need another two lights for tomorrow.”

He sent a further message asking for an equivalent amount on May 31, then on June 9 there was a similar exchange, with the pair agreeing to meet at the Wayfarers to carry out the deal.

Head was arrested on the way to that meeting but was not charged at that time.

In October 2022, Towns was arrested at his home in King Street, Kettering, and £525 in cash was found.

Fleming was arrested in his girlfriend’s car and his mobile phone was seized.

The men were not put off their drug dealing by their arrests, but they were monitored by police for months.

They were eventually all charged in Spring this year after Johnston, from Columbus Crescent, Rothwell, was arrested at home where drug bags, scales and cash were seized.

‘Boss’ Freddie Allen

The court was told that Freddie Allen, who lived in an unassuming dormer bungalow in quiet St Oswald’s Close, Kettering, had three previous convictions including one for supplying cannabis in 2010.

Financial investigators found that £223,300 had passed through Allen’s bank account during the time the conspiracy was going on, including £39,000 in cash deposits. His outgoings included monthly payments of £900 for rent and £1,000 payments for a Range Rover.

In mitigation, barrister Sebastian Gardner told the court that his client Allen was ‘held in high regard’ by those who worked with him and had been a successful electrician. He handed a clutch of certificates to His Honour Judge Mayo that he had gained following his remand in custody eight months ago. He has become a gym instructor in prison.

He was handed a jail term of four years and ten months of which he will serve half.

Bricklayer Ricki Johnston

Johnston had transferred £15,000 in nine separate deposits into Allen’s account during the conspiracy. He had £5,000 in cash on him when he was arrested. Around £190,000 had passed through his own account including £61,000 in cash deposits and £32,500 with bank references relating to ‘footie tickets’ and ‘anal beads’.

But the court was told that he was ‘self-employed’ bricklayer which was a ‘cash business’, accounting for much of the money in his account.

The 43-year-old had five convictions on his record and is still struggling with his addiction.

The court was told that he is a good dad with a son in law school for whom he provided financial support.

He was given a three year jail sentence of which he will serve half in custody.

Matthew Coote

Coote, 35, of Windmill Avenue, had six convictions on his record including possession with intent to supply cannabis in 2015.

He was in receipt of universal credit but had £118,000 moving through his bank account during the conspiracy. Barrister Will Forber-Heyward said these were his client’s savings and he used his bank account to manage them.

He said Coote admitted using Towns on an ‘ad-hoc’ basis to courier drugs around the town.

In a character reference, his mother told the court he was her unofficial carer and that she was ‘heavily reliant’ on him. The court was told Coote had previously had a serious drug habit and was using 3g of cocaine every day, but had gone ‘cold turkey’ since his arrest and was now substance-free.

His prison sentence was two years and nine months, of which he will serve half. His time on electronic tag while on remand will count towards his sentence.

‘Deputy’ Daniel Fleming

Fleming had sent £5,000 to Allen, with references referring to ‘electrical items’ during the conspiracy. He also had £348,000 passing through his own personal bank accounts. The court was told most of this was from his legitimate earnings.

But the court heard that the 49-year-old of Alexandra Street, had been a less-than-willing participant at times and had only been involved in the plot between October 2022 and February 2023 after losing his job because of his drug addiction.

The court was read messages from a time when Allen had gone on holiday to Ibiza and left Fleming running the show.

One message read: “This can’t keep on mate. I’m only meant to run it. It can’t keep being left to me and you’ve gone away again. I’m not having a go mate but I feel a bit mugged-off tbh. It’s all the running around mate and I don’t get nothing for it.”

Fleming was jailed for three years and one month, of which he will serve half.

Callum Head

Head, of Naseby Road, had transferred several amounts totalling £15,000 to Allen, with the references ‘footie tickets’. He had no previous convictions.

The 29-year-old’s partner has just had a baby at whose birth he was not able to be present. His barrister Micaila Williams said her client had a significant drug addiction that had led him to start dealing. She told the court he was now free of his addiction.

She said he was ‘not a drug dealer by trade’ and was capable of running a successful business.

Head was given a jail term of three years and seven months, of which he will serve half in custody.

‘Runner’ Daniel Towns

Towns had £36,000 running through his account during the time of the conspiracy but had a substantial gambling problem and had paid £34,500 to bookies including Sky Bet during that time.

The 34-year-old, of King Street, had no previous convictions and had served in the army in Iraq. He was medically discharged and suffers from PTSD as a result of his time in the services. He had both drink and gambling addictions.

He handed in references from Father Mowbray at St Mary’s Church and from veterans’ charity Walking with the Wounded. Father Mowbray said he had volunteered his time to the church willingly and he was ‘privileged to know’ Towns.

His Honour Judge Mayo was told that Towns had become involved in the conspiracy ‘when he was at a very, very vulnerable and low point in his life.’

The other five gang members were sent down the back stairs while Towns, left crying and alone in the dock, faced his sentence in front of his sobbing family members.

His Honour Judge Mayo said that he believed him to be a vulnerable person and gave him a 21-month jail term, suspended for 18 months. He will also have to complete 30 rehabilitation requirement days.

‘Well done lads’

Their overwhelmed families were clearly delighted with the men’s sentences, expecting longer periods of detention.

As Judge Mayo sent the gang from the dock, Allen was seen to cheer as he was taken down the back stairs. He had also given his mum a ‘thumbs up’ as his sentence was read. A man sitting in the public gallery began to clap, shouted ‘well done lads’ and left the courtroom.

Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings will continue next year, when a court will decide whether to confiscate any of the men’s assets deemed to be bought via the profits from their criminal enterprise.