Prison term after police find large haul in St Anne’s Flats address
A Chester man who was using a family member’s flat as a storage and distribution point for class A drugs has been jailed after officers executed a warrant in the city.
At Chester Crown Court on Thursday 20 August, 37-year-old Sean Randles, now living on Victoria Road in Ellesmere Port, was sentenced to six years and four months imprisonment. He had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine, and a charge of possession of criminal property.
Police say the operation was disrupted after information was passed to the force, leading to a targeted entry at an address in St Anne’s Flats on 18 June. Officers found Randles in a bedroom where a substantial quantity of drugs was recovered alongside items used to prepare them for sale.
- Drugs recovered: heroin and cocaine
- Cash seized: £5,840.13
- Other items: digital scales switched on, multiple mobile phones and packaging ready to use
- Estimated street value: up to £15,000
The homeowner was present in the living room and was detained by officers. Both men at the address were arrested and taken into custody. Police inquiries established the drugs and cash belonged to Randles, who chose to store them at a family member’s flat.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Sean Randles, 37 |
| Charges | Possession with intent to supply (heroin and cocaine); possession of criminal property |
| Sentence | 6 years 4 months imprisonment |
| Location of warrant | St Anne’s Flats, Chester |
"Randles is well known to the team here at Chester, having only been released from prison in January 2026 for previous drugs offences," said Detective Inspector Rupert Morrey. "It appears that following his release from prison, he thought he could outsmart police by using a flat belonging to a family member as his base. However, as he has now discovered, he was clearly wrong."
Detective Inspector Morrey added that their investigation showed Randles was engaged in the sale and distribution of class A drugs on a commercial scale and welcomed the sentence handed down by the court.
The operation highlights ongoing work by Chester’s proactive CID to tackle drug supply in neighbourhoods. Officers who carry out such warrants aim both to remove harmful substances from the streets and to disrupt the local networks that profit from them.
For residents of the city the case is a reminder of the persistent challenge posed by drug crime: how traffickers sometimes exploit vulnerable or unsuspecting family members’ properties to conceal activity, and the strain that brings on families and communities. It also underlines the importance of intelligence-led policing — information passed to officers made the raid possible.
Cheshire Constabulary has previously urged people with concerns about drug activity to report information to their local force, stressing that even small tips can lead to larger investigations and arrests. In this case the recovered items — cash, phones, scales and pre-prepared packaging — all pointed to distribution rather than personal possession, and formed a key part of the evidence presented to the court.
The sentence will be noted by local officers monitoring release and reoffending patterns. According to the force, Randles had been released from prison earlier in 2026 after previous offending, and this latest conviction follows quickly after that release.
Neighbours and community groups in Chester say they welcome action that removes dealers from their streets and gives some reassurance, but add that long-term solutions require a mix of enforcement, support for addiction services and community engagement to prevent recruitment into drug supply in the first place.
