Dear all. Are there any Gloucestershire or worldwide fans of Cheese Rolling who would be happy to speak to me for a local news article? I’m looking for anybody who has participated in a race or has maybe won the race in the past! If you do, do send a message request, call me on 07704728243 or email at theshirenewsglos@gmail.com
Five men have been jailed after pleading guilty to supplying hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cocaine in Gloucestershire.
James Blandford, Ashley Booth, Scott Capstick, Brian Dennis and Jordan Ireland (all pictured in order from left to right) were sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court to a total of more than 36 years in prison on Thursday (7 May).
At earlier hearings, four of the men pled guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, while Capstick admitted to being concerned in supply of cocaine. It followed an investigation by Gloucestershire Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).
It was heard that they had supplied at least 25 kilograms of the drug, with an estimated potential street value of £2 million, dating back to between February 2023 and their arrests in September 2024.
Officers had discovered the conspiracy after phones were downloaded following the arrests of two men, aged 32 and 35, for separate matters in 2023. Detectives were able to show evidence that 29-year-old Ireland, of Yorkley Road, Cheltenham, had been involved in the supply of cocaine.
Ireland was subsequently arrested for an unrelated matter in April 2024. His phone was examined while intelligence provided to police by the local community about potential drug dealing taking place further supported his involvement.
After his phone was downloaded, it revealed how he was using SnapChat, WhatsApp and other phone applications to advertise drugs for sale.
There followed a surveillance-led police investigation into his involvement, alongside that of James Blandford, in the supply of multiple kilograms of cocaine in Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties.
Gloucestershire Police's SOCU established where the videos had been filmed, along with people whose hands featured in the videos.
They used surveillance to see which cars were being used to transport large quantities of drugs and cash, and to establish who was travelling to and from addresses of interest.
Numerous arrest warrants and searches were conducted in September 2024 with a large number of digital devices from a number of people seized.
Several videos were found on his and other people's phones, seized as part of the operation and which showed kilogram blocks of cocaine. Other videos showed the cocaine being mixed on a kitchen work surface.
The group made payments in excess of £600,000 for high purity cocaine, with many more instances of payments where the amounts were not recorded.
Some of the cocaine was adulterated by the group before being repressed at a local garage controlled by Dennis. He had created a metal mould specifically for repressing kilograms of the adulterated drug to give the impression of a superior quality product.
The court heard how Ireland played a leading role while Blandford was a trusted lieutenant in charge of money and drugs, who kept things running smoothly.
Booth was a drugs runner and was used for storage distribution, with Capstick acting as a drugs runner and also being trusted to deliver large amounts of money to upstream couriers.
Ireland, Blandford and Booth admitted a further charge of conspiracy to supply cannabis, and Ireland and Booth also admitted to a count of conspiracy to supply ketamine.
Ireland was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison; James Blandford, aged 35 and of Barrington Drive, Gloucester, was given 8 years and 3 months; Ashley Booth, aged 29 and of Woodruff Close, Gloucester, was sentenced to 7 years and 1 month; Brian Dennis, aged 55 and of School Mead, Cheltenham, was sentenced to 6 years and 4 months; and Scott Capstick, aged 37 and of Leadon Close, Brockworth, was given 3 years and 4 months.
The investigation conducted by SOCO was supported by excellent analytical work, the digital forensic unit, Scenes of Crime officers and chemical development experts along with lengthy and detailed reports from a drugs expert witness.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Matt Phillips said: "In the police, we recognise that addiction to drugs is a devastating thing to live with.
"Making these interventions helps to reduce the drugs that are available on the market and helps protect those people who suffer from substance abuse.
"This has been a significant piece of work from the entire investigation team and I would like to commend them for their dedication throughout this case. The result shows that we will continue to do all we can to tackle the issue of drug dealing in our communities."
All three Labour MPs in Gloucestershire have called for Sir Keir Starmer to resign as Prime Minister. “The Prime Minister does not have the backing of the country”, “Public trust is being lost” and “We need an orderly transition”
Hi everyone. At The Shire News I am encouraged by some University of Gloucestershire journalism students who are keen to write some local news pieces, including one student who wants to cover more about women's safety in the county. One of their ideas is looking into whether the 'Ask for Angela' initiative is still fit for purpose? The well-intentioned safety measure is marking ten years since its foundation but has also been questioned due to inconsistent implementation and staff training issues. It's not all bad news apparently, as Cheltenham reported a 100% pass rate for venues in January 2026, so there are some good signs on the scheme. But for The Shire News we go deeper into issues, so I want to ask if anyone in Gloucestershire still has confidence in the initiative? Have you experienced situations where its implementation has been poor? We are looking for a human angle for what is a human interest story.
You can DM me on Reddit, call me on 07704728243 or email me via theshirenewsglos@gmail.com - please do get in touch if you can add any observations or personal stories about Ask for Angela in Gloucestershire.
A more in-depth piece on the Cheltenham borough council election results cutting through the noise…
POLLS OPEN | Polling stations are open for the Cheltenham Borough Council election. The Lib Dems, Greens, Reform UK, Labour and Conservatives are all vying for votes. The Shire News will have a final results and analysis piece once all the results are declared.
ELECTION BAR CHARTS | Can Cheltenham voters really trust bar charts provided by the political parties during this election? On the eve of polling day, The Shire News has examined charts from the four main parties who have high hopes of winning seats at the borough council on Thursday May 7th.
Final election interview is with Rob Garnham for the Conservatives.
Penultimate election interview is with Malcolm Bride for the Labour Party
Third interview out of five: Matt Podmore speaks for Reform UK heading into the Cheltenham borough Council elections
The Steam and Whistle in Cheltenham carries on jazz throughout the year beyond the town’s jazz festival.
The second local election interview for Cheltenham Borough Council elections, this time the Green Party.
Not every topic can be covered in one interview but I hope in the final days before polling day, Cheltenham voters can see an independent press trying its best to scrutinise our local politicians and candidates. More interviews with other parties to come…
Come and meet me in-person this Friday in Churchdown.