Christina Rowlands, of Alexandra Close, Kensington (Image: Merseyside Police)
A trusted “lieutenant” of a massive organised crime gang running drugs out of Liverpool whined “my life’s over” on TikTok after being caught. Christina Rowlands sent a series of chat messages on the social media site complaining “I’ve been nicked me, heaviest s*** ever” and “it’s just so so bad” after she was rumbled as one of the top dogs in a three-year class A drugs conspiracy.
The 41-year-old said: “I’m going to get about eight years”. But in fact she was handed an even heavier sentence after appearing at Liverpool crown court yesterday, September 11.
Rowlands was the trusted “lieutenant” of drugs kingpin Terence Clarke, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2023. Also working under Clarke were Aaron Denham, 31, and Robert Seville, 28.
They were caught during a police investigation into Clarke, who ran county lines supply chains across England and Wales using the Encrochat handle “SacredTruck”. The encrypted network was hacked by law enforcement in 2020, but Clarke continued to deal in drugs until he was arrested in February 2023.
Prosecutor Cheryl Mottram said Rowlands appeared in Encrochat messages sent by Terence Clarke as “the bird who helps us now”, as he directed contacts to deliver large amounts of drugs to her address, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Ms Mottram said: “Christina Rowlands was very close to Terence Clarke, trusted by him, rightly so as she remained loyal throughout, right up until her ultimate arrest and remand into custody.
“Robert Seville also worked closely alongside him, running his own graft line, the Jonny graft line. Like Terence Clarke, Robert Seville has been involved in the supply of controlled drugs for a number of years.
Aaron Denham, of Thornycroft Road, Wavertree (Image: Merseyside police)
“Even after Terence Clarke’s arrest at the beginning of February 2023, he continued to direct operations whilst on remand.”
Both Clarke and Seville were observed regularly being driven around by Rowlands. Seville was spotted going into known “safehouses” on Abbingdon Grove and Dalemeadow Road, these addresses belonging to Rowlands and another accomplice, Nicola Blood.
On January 18 2023, police swooped on Blood’s home, recovering a cling film package containing 458g of heroin, 1.21g of crack cocaine, 2.07g cocaine and 495g of ketamine. Also seized was a phone connected to Seville’s Jonny graft line, which supplied heroin and crack cocaine to the Newton-Le-Willows area.
The following day police raided the address of Terence Clarke’s former partner, Ashley Stephens, recovering 3.4kg of heroin.
Rowlands was arrested on January 20 2023, and was released under investigation. Towards the end of the month, she sent a series of TikTok chat messages, including “I’ve been nicked me heaviest s*** ever”, “in the Echo and all that” and “My life’s over… by the time you get out I’ll probably be in jail anyway”.
Further messages read: “It’s just so so bad… Conspiracy to supply class A and money laundering. I’m going to get about 8 years” and “(I) am a big girl, I knew what I was doing, just have to get on with it don’t I?” Later she said: “I’m going to jail… money laundering… 125 grand.”
Despite this she continued to operate under Clarke’s commands, organising a video conference with him while he was remanded at HMP Altcourse.
Robert Seville, of no fixed address (Image: Merseyside police)
She also laundered money for the conspiracy, moving around £84,000 of dirty cash through her Lloyds Bank accounts between January 2020 and June 2023.
Ms Mottram said: “As well as allowing her premises to be used for storing and bagging drugs, being involved in transporting Terence Clarke and others, and moving and collecting drugs, Christina Rowlands was also trusted to collect and bank cash and other collect and store other items (such as expensive watches) on Terence Clarke’s behalf.”
Denham, who was “a trusted associate of Clarke”, was observed making regular visits to a safehouse in Childwall, owned by Carmina Clynch. He was arrested alongside Clarke at another safehouse in Wordsworth Street, Toxteth, where police seized 1928g of cannabis and £60,000 cash.
Andrew McInnes, defending Rowlands, said the 41-year-old had turned to drug dealing after losing her job in 2020. He said: “I don’t for a minute suggest her role was a lesser one, but she was significantly subordinate to Terence Clarke. Terence Clarke would use her flat to watch drugs, use her to collect drugs and give drugs for him, buy items for him and look after items for him.
“She didn’t seem to run any particular line. She didn’t appear to be involved in any way further up the chain.”
He added: “She had loss of employment, loss of her property, use of cannabis and latterly class A drugs. Perhaps she was an ideal person for be recruited into the group. She had accommodation used for drugs, access to vehicles, bank accounts were used.
“She doesn’t seek to excuse her behaviour at all. In her own words, ‘I’m a big girl, I knew what I was doing’. She has paid a high price because of it.”
Stuart Nolan, defending Seville said: “There’s no evidence of an extravagant lifestyle, there’s no evidence of bank accounts of significant financial gain. What he was doing was providing drugs at a street level, rather than a management role.”
He said: “This is a very different young man who comes before you than two years ago. He’s drug-free. He’s somebody who worked well within the prison system. He’s now a listener in the Samaritans within the prison. His manager speaks highly of him. He’s ashamed of what has had done.
“He has a relationship with a woman who has stood by him. He has children. He’s looking forward to a time when he can come back and be useful.”
Robert Wyn Jones, defending Denham, said the 31-year-old was the first to admit his guilt in December 2023. He said: “He has written an eloquent letter in which he doesn’t seek to justify anything and apologises. He’s produced six certificates that he has achieved this summer on top of everything else he has done. Plainly this young man has been making good use of his time.
“There’s plainly a very different side to him. He’s still relatively young man spoken highly of by those who have written references for him, and his family still support him.
“At the time he was in various debts and saw this as an easy way out. He bitterly regrets it.”
The following sentences were handed down: