BOY BOSS ‘UK’s youngest drug kingpin’ is unmasked as 14-year-old boy who runs ‘cannabis business across city with his girlfriend’
A TEENAGER has been unmasked as the baby-faced ringleader of a family-run drug business, involving his girlfriend and other relatives.
Jack Barrett, now 21, was just about to start his GCSE exams when he emerged as the mastermind behind the illicit business.
Directing and coordinating the supply of cannabis across Norwich, Barrett’s phone was found to have a staggering 47,000 drug-related messages on it when police seized it.
Prosecutor Richard Paterson found that Barrett’s girlfriend, Mia Henry-Bristow, now 21, was ‘actively’ involved in the supply chain.
Her dad, Michael Henry, was also found to be an essential link in the chain, shifting cannabis across the city as ‘part of a wider group’ of accomplices.
4,600 messages were discovered on Henry’s phone, indicating his obvious complicity in the drug ring.
Brooklyn Henry-Bristow, aged 19 and Henry’s son, was also found to have drug-related messages on his phone – around 3,000 of them.
Barrett, now 21, ran the whole operation between June 2019 and October 2023, Norwich Crown Court heard.
Social media records show Barrett and his girlfriend enjoying payouts of the trade, with pictures posted on Facebook in April 2023 showing the pair in glossy new suits.
Their fall from grace began in October that year, when police executed a search warrant at Abigail Henry-Bristow’s home, Brooklyn’s sister.
The 23-year-old was described as an ‘active participant’ in the supply chain at the time.
Nearly 100g of cannabis with a street value of £950 was found during the raid.
Another 21g worth £530 were discovered at a second address in Buxton.
Barrett and his girlfriend, along with her dad and two siblings, pleaded guilty to involvement in the supply of cannabis.
Barrett and Henry also admitted possession of criminal property, in the sum of £8,471 and £3,656 respectively.
Henry also admitted possession of magic mushrooms.
Abigail Henry-Bristow admitted two other charges, namely possession of criminal property to the value of £530 and possession of cocaine.
Judge Anthony Bate said the business had “all the hallmarks” of a family operation.
Barrett, who states on his Facebook page that he works for a roofing firm, was given a suspended 21-month jail term and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.
Henry received a six-month suspended sentence and was told to take part in a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR).
Brooklyn Henry-Bristow will serve an 18-month community order, 15 days RAR and must do 120 hours of unpaid work.
Abigail and Mia both got 18-month community orders and 15 days RAR, plus 180 hours and 120 hours of unpaid work respectively.
Representing four of the defendants, Michael Clare pointed to the ‘relative youth’ of the three offenders, urging for this to be taken into account.
Defending Abigail, John Morgans brought up his client’s ‘difficult upbringing’, including a traumatic event at the age of 12 that led to her cannabis addiction.
