Councillor says it's time to legalise drugs... here's why

This week, a spotlight review on county lines activity in St Helens was presented to St Helens Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission.

The review was triggered by a special report that aired on BBC News last August, which followed Merseyside Police officers searching for missing teenagers from St Helens, most of whom were suspected of being linked to county lines drug dealing in North Wales.

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Labour councillor Michelle Sweeney, a former probation officer, led the spotlight review, which saw a cross-party task group meet with officers from the council and Merseyside Police to develop its conclusions and recommendations.

During the review, councillors learnt that between April 1, 2018 and March 14, 2019, there were 111 child sexual exploitation victims in St Helens and 78 child criminal exploitation victims.

In addition, there were 1,382 cases of children and young people (under 18) missing in St Helens, although it is unclear how many of these are linked to county lines activity.

A special report on county lines in St Helens aired on BBC News last August

Speaking at the overview and scrutiny commission meeting on Monday, Cllr David O'Keefe, leader of the Greens on St Helens Borough Council, said some of the findings in the report were “disturbing".

Cllr O’Keefe, ward councillor for Bold, suggested creating a system of legal regulation for the drugs market – which is Green Party policy – to help protect young people in St Helens being exploited by county lines drugs gangs.

He said that while the UK’s drugs policy is aimed at reducing harm, it is currently doing a “hell of a lot of harm to a hell of a lot of people here".

Cllr O’Keefe said: “The problem we have with drug law is that it's been in existence for 50 years, and things don't get better, they seem to get worse and worse and worse.

“And I'm concerned here because some of the numbers spoken about, you're not just talking about the children themselves, it's putting other people at risk from criminal gangs in terms of retaliation, physical attacks, maybe even up to loss of life. And it is a very, very concerning issue.

"The only real way to ensure our children are safe now is to have a regulated drugs market, which now needs to come into existence because it's the only way to protect these children, is through having a regulated drugs market.

“We need to start having that conversation with communities amongst ourselves, in Parliament, because that's the only way we're going to protect these children.”

In response, Cllr Sweeney said prohibition was a much wider issue than the overview and scrutiny commission could deal with.

But she added that while county lines activity is predominantly about drugs, it is also about transporting weapons and money.

"Where there is criminality, there will always be exploitation and exploitation of the most vulnerable within society,” Cllr Sweeney said.

Labour's Seve Gomez-Aspron was markedly less reserved in his response to the Green leader's comments, branding Cllr O'Keefe's suggestion to essentially legalise illegal drugs to stop child exploitation at the hands of county lines gangs as "ridiculous".

Cllr Sweeney concluded that county lines gangs could not be tackled by any single authority or agency, and requires a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary response.

She also stressed that it is not just vulnerable children who are at risk from county lines drugs gangs, something highlighted in the review’s findings.

The report says criminals are most frequently targeting vulnerable young people, such as those affected by domestic abuse, have volatile family relationships, or who have been in and out of care.

Labour's Michelle Sweeney is a former probation officer and led St Helens Borough Council's spotlight review on county lines gangs

Groomers will tempt young people by manipulating them with alcohol, money, drugs and gifts, in a similar way to how terrorist groups radicalise people.

But the report also says there have been cases where young people from more stable or affluent backgrounds have become involved in county lines drug dealing.

Young people from these backgrounds can become involved due to drug debts and coerced into criminality as way to pay off the debt, and can be at risk because those around them such as family and teachers would not suspect that they would be involved in criminality.

They may suffer from a lack of self-esteem, particularly young girls at risk of sexual exploitation, or be looking for an escape from the pressures of life.

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Cllr Sweeney said: “I think sometimes when we place a lot of focus on the most vulnerable, others can fall through the net.

“While I do appreciate, absolutely, our children in care are at risk – but as is every child in our community where county lines is concerned."

The overview and scrutiny commission approved the report and the recommendations, which will now be reviewed by the council’s cabinet.