Dramatic police footage has been released showing the moment officers rammed a taxi to apprehend two leaders of a major Midlands drug gang. Andrew Fitzgerald, 35, and Sean Richardson, 34, were captured as they sped along the A617 near Newark, Nottinghamshire, in July 2024.
The Chase and Takedown
The pair were attempting to flee after their gang had flooded the county with crack cocaine, cocaine, and heroin. As police closed in, another gang member tried to destroy evidence by submerging two drug phones in paint cans. However, officers from Nottinghamshire Police found them and retrieved the crucial evidence.
Investigations revealed the 15-member cartel used five dedicated mobile phone lines to advertise, take orders, and distribute their Class A drugs. The narcotics were sold in the Kirkby, Sutton, and Eastwood areas of Nottinghamshire, as well as in Skegness, Lincolnshire.
From January 2023 until their arrest in July 2024, the Nottingham-based gang amassed hundreds of thousands of pounds. During raids on properties linked to the cartel, police seized drugs with an estimated street value of £125,000 and £40,000 in cash. They also confiscated expensive jewellery and weapons, including an air pistol, knives, and a crossbow.
How the Gang Was Unravelled
The gang's downfall began when police seized a mobile phone from one of their suppliers, Tyrone Shand. This phone revealed the bulk purchasing of Class A drugs, providing a critical breakthrough for detectives.
Officers discovered the gang stored large quantities of drugs at designated "stash houses" in Bulwell and Bestwood. Other members would then transport the drugs to buyers across Nottinghamshire and Skegness. The court heard that Corey Graham, Andrew Cox, and Nathan Sharp ran the drug lines on behalf of Fitzgerald and his subordinates.
Sentencing and Consequences
On Wednesday, 14 January 2026, all 15 members of the gang – which included a brother and sister – were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to a combined total of over 70 years in prison.
Judge Stuart Rafferty KC stated there was "no doubt this was a category one conspiracy". He confirmed he was satisfied that "at least 15kg of Class A drugs, perhaps even 20kg, were trafficked by this group". The judge remarked the enterprise operated daily, and possibly around the clock, showing "utter disregard to the misery and risk of life". He added it would have continued had police not dismantled it.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Steven Fenyn of Nottinghamshire Police's Serious Organised Crime unit said: "These were callous criminals who only cared about making vast amounts of money. They didn't care how lethal their commodities were or the consequences for communities. They thought they were untouchable, but we were able to systematically dismantle the group."
The full list of those sentenced is as follows:
- Andrew Fitzgerald, 35: 12 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Sean Richardson, 34: 8 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Aaron Miller, 35: 11 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Nathan Sharp, 34: 8 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Andrew Cox, 41: 8 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Corey Graham, 24: 6 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Keenan Williams, 36: 18-month suspended sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Jaime Buxton, 26: 18-month suspended sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Craig Beeson, 41: 8 years and 9 months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and GBH.
- Stacey Beeson, 39 (Craig's sister): 18-month suspended sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Yvette Davis, 56: 2-year suspended sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Claire Lidgett, 41: 18-month suspended sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Tyrone Shand, 38: 6 years and 9 months for conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
- Chadwyck Walton, 31: 4.5 years for allowing his home to store Class A and B drugs.
- Temika Morris, 29: 18-month community order for allowing her home to store Class A and B drugs.
