A drug dealer who ‘attempted to run away from the justice system’ by faking an illness and fleeing to the Caribbean has finally been jailed.
Nicholas Knowles, 32, was found unanimously guilty by a jury within mere hours when he stood a four-week trial at Bolton Crown Court in 2018.
Dubbed the head of the ‘Tommy’ crime group, he controlled its day-to-day running since its formation in 2013 during which time he ‘exploited vulnerable people’ and ‘blighted the local community’.
But on the day of his sentencing, Knowles faked an illness to avoid going to court and subsequently fled the UK.
He was located and captured in the Caribbean and brought back home and was sentenced on May 16, 2025, to 34 weeks to run consecutively with his 13 and a half year sentence that was passed in his absence.
Knowles had denied conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. Following his escape, he was located on October 9, 2024.
It comes after detectives had closed in on Knowles’ organised crime group in May 2015. Four other gang members all pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and were sentenced for their involvement.
After the arrest of one of the crime group’s members, Cameron Johnson, for his possession of heroin and crack cocaine with the intent to supply, the group’s activities were unearthed in the heart of Bury.
Dubbed the head of the ‘Tommy’ crime group, Nicholas Knowles (pictured) controlled its day-to-day running since it formation in 2013
It emerged they had been selling Class A drugs across Greater Manchester ‘relentlessly’.
A drug line called the ‘Tommy’ shot-line was established in Bury in 2014 which transitioned into a second Tommy line.
On January 15, 2014, Knowles and Robinson were arrested after patrols stopped their vehicle, Robinson was found with a total of £420 which was hidden in his pockets and socks along with five mobile phones located on his person.
The SIM card found in one of the hidden phones matching the number of a second ‘Tommy’ line.
But it would take a series of arrests over the course of months for detectives to finally be able to bring a charge.
Knowles entrusted Johnson to run the business in his absence and used his cell mate’s prison phone account to keep in touch with his second in command from Forest Bank jail.
In one text Johnson said: ‘If you get nicked and you have got that phone you’re f***ed.’
It took a lengthy investigation, detectives finally had enough evidence to charge the members of the group.
A series of arrests were made before detectives at Greater Manchester Police finally had enough evidence to charge the gang. It emerged they had been selling Class A drugs across Greater Manchester ‘relentlessly’
It emerged the group had been selling Class A drugs across Greater Manchester ‘relentlessly’. Pictured: Officer at Greater Manchester Police wearing a hi vis equipment vest
Detective Inspector Ian Toole, said: ‘We are pleased to report that Knowles has been in court to face justice at last after attempting to run away from the justice system, and has now been sentenced.
‘His actions and the actions of the crime group blighted our local community and exploited vulnerable people further afield.
‘On the day of his sentencing in 2018, he pretended to be ill and using this as an opportunity to flee the country which started an international manhunt to locate him.
‘No matter how much time has passed, we won’t give up on finding you. We were assisted using our partner agencies to drag him back to the UK to face justice.
‘If you are a criminal that has fled the UK to live in another country and thinks they can enjoy a life of luxury, you can’t, we will find you and bring you back to face justice.
‘It is only a matter of time before there will be a knock at your door and you will be dragged back here to face justice.’
The other members pleaded guilty and were sentenced at Bolton Crown Court in December 2016 and January 2017.
Nathan Dagnall, 30, from Breightmet, was jailed for 36 months for two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
Cameron Johnson, from Sale, received a custodial sentence of 40 months for two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
Noel Cowan, 50, from Tottington, was given two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
