Key Points
- Convicted five times previously for dealing with drugs, Paul Kelly has been given a prison term of 80 months, while his brother, Keith Kelly, has been handed a term of three years and four months.
- These two were running a class A drug trafficking ring called the Tommy Line in the North West, in which 1,200 texts were sent in a three-month time span.
- Paul Kelly bit a policeman’s hand when he was arrested for selling suspected Class A drugs in a match between Everton at Goodison Park.
- Paul Kelly had used homophobic remarks against the arresting officer when he was arrested.
- The latest conviction of Paul Kelly means that he is currently serving 20 years in jail for Class A drug offenses.
Bootle (Liverpool standard) August 29, 2026 – Bootle drug dealer bit police officer at Everton match after plainclothes officers caught him distributing illicit substances during a Premier League fixture at Goodison Park.
As reported by court correspondents at the Liverpool Echo, investigators identified a major regional heroin and cocaine supply network being run as a joint criminal enterprise. Analysis of seized mobile devices revealed what prosecutors described as “frenetic drug dealing activity” conducted across the North West over a three-month surveillance window.
Data extracted from the phones showed more than 1,200 communications directly linked to the distribution of Class A substances under the street moniker the ‘Tommy Line’. Prosecutors presented evidence establishing that Paul Kelly and his brother Keith Kelly held equal culpability in managing the enterprise.
What happened during the arrest at Goodison Park?
As detailed by the Liverpool Echo, the arrest took place on March 2, 2024, during Everton’s Premier League match against West Ham United. Spotters observed Paul Kelly handing a package containing white powder to another individual in the stands.
When a police officer intervened and detained him, Kelly resisted arrest and bit the officer on the hand. Following his transfer to a Merseyside police custody facility, Kelly shouted homophobic slurs at the injured officer.
What sentences were handed down at Liverpool Crown Court?
Appearing before Liverpool Crown Court via video link from HMP Liverpool, Paul Kelly pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, including heroin and cocaine. His sentence of 80 months (six years and eight months) brings his career total to over two decades of custodial time across five separate Class A drug trafficking convictions.
Keith Kelly appeared in person in the dock, pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and possession with intent to supply. The court sentenced Keith Kelly to 40 months (three years and four months) imprisonment for his role in the joint enterprise.
Background of the Tommy Line and regional Class A enforcement
Merseyside has remained a primary operational hub for illicit phone lines supplying heroin and crack cocaine to surrounding regions. Specialised units including Merseyside Police’s Project Medusa and Operation Toxic regularly track graft phones orchestrating street sales and cross-boundary distribution.
Repeat offenders frequently reconstitute illicit brand names like the ‘Tommy Line’ to maintain customer loyalty across local territories. Crown courts continue to impose escalating custodial tariffs on multi-conviction dealers to disrupt persistent trafficking structures in Sefton and North Liverpool.
How will this sentencing affect football matchgoers and local communities?
The dismantling of the Tommy Line removes a major street-level drug channel from Bootle and surrounding North West areas, directly curtailing heroin and cocaine availability in these communities.
For football supporters, the conviction reinforces Merseyside Police’s active surveillance operations inside stadium turnstiles. Enhanced stewarding, undercover deployments, and judicial penalties for assaults on stadium emergency workers aim to deter open illicit trading and safeguard family-oriented matchday environments across regional grounds.
