An Ipswich drug dealer who twice replaced confiscated phones to let customers know he was back ‘online’ has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Joshua Haynes waited until the day after police seized his first phone to announce he had a new number for customers to buy heroin and cocaine.

When officers seized his second mobile, the 26-year-old acquired a third number to send out bulk messages to users and ‘re-up’ with drugs from other dealers.

Haynes, who was initially arrested after police raided his Shackleton Road home and seized his mobile in May last year, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court to be sentenced on Friday.

Prosecutor Isobel Ascherson said another raid two months later led to the discovery of a second phone, which he then replaced in order to continue dealing into the new year.

When arrested again in May, the third phone showed more evidence of contact with another suspected dealer’s number in an attempt to restock with drugs.

Miss Ascherson said the same number was used to arrange transport home from probation meetings Haynes was attending after his release on licence from a five-year jail term for possession with intent to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis in 2016.

After denying involvement in drug supply during two previous interviews, Haynes came clean when shown all the evidence and told police he had found God.

He formally admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine between April 2019 and March 2020 at a subsequent court hearing.

Rob Pollington, mitigating, said Haynes returned to old habits after reconnecting with peers and being pressured to work off a previous debt.

“It didn’t take the greatest persuasion for him to start back up,” conceded Mr Pollington.

He said Haynes had been fully cooperative with police after understanding the scale of evidence, adding: “There is some element of hope in blossoming maturity not evidenced in his criminal behaviour.”

David Pugh told Haynes: “Within a day of your original phone being seized, you obtained another. When that was seized, it showed you were immediately contacting users to tell them you were up and running again.

“You then obtained a third phone, which showed you were again involved in drug dealing.”

Investigating officer Richard Pennie, of the serious crime disruption team, said: “It’s hugely satisfying to see Haynes behind bars for over four years – this result demonstrates how Suffolk police wants to ensure the county remains a hostile environment for those involved in the supply of drugs. We always seek to deal robustly with the supply of drugs due to the wide range of people it affects and impacts.

“We continue to pursue, disrupt and arrest those suspects as well as acting on intelligence that members of the public provide and for which we are grateful for.”

If you have information about drug use in your community, contact your local policing team on 101, or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.