A THUG who knocked a man unconscious has been locked up alongside his drug dealing colleague.

James Gerrard and Lewis Bates have been put being bars for their role in ensuring users had access to illegal drugs.

Gerrard was also sentenced for a nasty assault in which the victim was left lying in the road.

The pair recently appeared before Chester Crown Court to be sentenced.

Bates aged 23, fell to learn his fate over charges of being concerned in supply of cocaine and cannabis.

Gerrard meanwhile, aged 21, was also sentenced on a count of being concerned in the supply of cannabis, as well as for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.

Details of the offending were relayed by Brett Williamson, representing the prosecution in the case.

He explained how the drug matters spanned a period of just over a month, in Runcorn between May 15 and June 20 last year.

Bates played a role in the supply of cocaine and cannabis, class A and B drugs respectively, to others in the town, while Gerrard was involved in the availability of cannabis.

Lewis Bates and James Gerrard were jailed at Chester Crown Court

Lewis Bates and James Gerrard were jailed at Chester Crown Court

Gerrard was also sentenced for his role in a separate violent incident which occurred in Warrington on December 16, 2022.

At around 4am, he attacked a man while at a venue in the town before being removed by staff.

He later saw the victim again and assaulted him, leaving him unconscious in the road.

The defendant was arrested by officers a short time later.

Before sentencing, recorder Eric Lamb Recorder gave each defendant credit for their guilty pleas to all charges, but remarked that only an immediate jail term was appropriate.

Bates, of Westfield Road in Runcorn, was sentenced to five years and eight months imprisonment.

The court handed Gerrard, of Penketh Close in Runcorn, a custodial sentence of two years and three months behind bars.

In addition, orders were approved to deprave Bates of £150 and Gerrard of £205, with the cash seized from them during the course of the police investigation.

This will be used by the chief constable of Cheshire Police ‘in the fight against drug crime’.