PRESS RELEASE : Harry McCusker, who supplied dozens of kilograms of cocaine across South England has received an increased prison sentence [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 19 January 2023.

A cocaine dealer who conspired with others to supply large quantities of the class A drug across the south of England will spend extra time in prison after his original sentence was found to be unduly lenient.

Harry McCusker, 28, of Middlesex, worked as part of a large-scale operation to supply cocaine across the south of England. During the operation, McCusker and other conspirators would receive up to 20kg of cocaine at a time before distributing the class A drug across areas including London, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

As part of the sophisticated operation, substantial quantities of money were laundered, leading to McCusker also being convicted of conspiracy to convert criminal property.

On 28 October 2022, at Lewes Crown Court, McCusker was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to supply a class A drug and conspiracy to convert criminal property.

His sentence was then referred to the Court of Appeal as Unduly Lenient.

On 19 January 2023 the Court quashed McCusker’s original sentence, and he will now have to serve a sentence of 6 years and 4 months’ imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson MP said:

“Harry McCusker was directly involved in a wide-scale operation to supply enormous quantities of a dangerous, harmful and illegal class A drug. I hope that the increased sentence handed down by the Court today will send the message that no amount of money offered for dealing drugs will ever be worth the punishment.”