Drug dealer who escaped prison for Thailand jailed

A drug dealer who escaped prison and fled to Thailand has been jailed for 11 years.

Kyle Nelson, 38, of Acomb, had been serving a nine-year sentence for conspiracy to supply cocaine when he escaped while on day release in 2024.

He travelled to Scotland, Ireland then Thailand using criminal associates and forged passports and returned to the UK in 2025 where he began running a county lines drugs operation.

Nelson was unanimously found guilty of supplying class-A drugs and unlawful escape from prison at York Crown Court on Wednesday and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

North Yorkshire PC Wayne Sharrocks said Nelson had been living a "life of luxury abroad" after his escape – riding jet skis and buying expensive items, including a Rolex watch.

Originally from Manchester, Nelson was dealing class-A drugs in York as part of an organised crime network.

The county lines network sold heroin and crack cocaine through a text message hotline code-named the Banksy line.

He was discovered by police in April 2025 when they stopped and searched a vehicle he was travelling in from Wetherby to York and found a mobile phone with Banksy line information on it.

He was arrested, taken into custody and charged with being concerned in the supply of class-A drugs and unlawful escape from prison.

Sharrocks said: "In this instance we were able to gather evidence, attribute it to Nelson and arrest him within weeks of becoming aware of the Banksy drugs line and put Nelson back behind bars, where he belongs.

"The 11-year sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence."

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