A pregnant woman was part of a trio found guilty of being involved a massive county lines class A drugs supply conspiracy.

Sharnee Dawkins, 29, and Daniel Brennan, 32, who are both from Carlisle, along with 19-year-old James Bailey had all denied being part of a large-scale plot to bring heroin and crack cocaine from Liverpool to Cumbria for supply to addicts.

But after a trial at Carlisle Crown Court that lasted more than a fortnight, a jury unanimously convicted Bailey and Brennan of conspiring to supply the substances, while Dawkins was found guilty of the same charge on a majority verdict.

Jurors had previously been told that 13 other people - nine from Cumbria and four from the Merseyside area - had already admitted their part in the drug supply operation.

Cumbrian residents worked with Liverpool gang members during an criminal enterprise which was operating between June and November last year, the court heard.

They play key roles, which included some selling the drugs to users and sending out so-called phone “text bombs”, effectively advertising the drugs they had for sale. They also allowed local addresses to be used as bases from which illicit substances could be packaged for onward supply.

Fifteen of the 16 defendants are set to be sentenced at the crown court in early June.

They include Brennan, previously of Woodside North, Carlisle, and Bailey, from Skelmersdale. Both were remanded in custody until then.

Judge Peter Davies asked for a senior Cumbrian police officer to write a report on the impact of the gang’s offending on the community.

Mother-to-be Dawkins, previously of Crummock Street in Carlisle, was granted bail by Judge Davies, who heard she was due to give birth at around the time of that sentencing hearing.

She will instead receive her punishment later in December, when a medical report will be provided.

Judge Davies told Dawkins: “You are in a very serious position. You have to understand that, unborn child or not.” Judge Davies also paid tribute to the seven women and nine men who had sat on the jury during the trial, saying: “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your diligence, attention to detail and focus.”