Isle of Man heroin dealer jailed for 11 years

Shaun Milligan was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse

A drug dealer caught with "significant quantities" of heroin after a car chase through the streets of the Isle of Man's capital has been jailed for 11 years.

Shaun Milligan, 47, sped off from undercover police officers after they saw him pick up another man carrying a bag containing a package delivered to his home in July.

Douglas Courthouse heard Frank Harrison, 42, later threw the bag into a garden after the pair abandoned the car.

Harrison was jailed for seven years for his part in importing the drugs to the island.

Douglas Courthouse heard that on 17 July undercover police acting as part of Operation Bobcat saw Milligan drive into the road behind Harrison's home on Brisbane Street after a package was delivered to the address.

The officers then saw Harrison, who was carrying a red plastic carrier bag, get into the car before the vehicle drove away.

'Ruthless drug dealer'

The court heard Milligan started to drive quickly and "erratically" through the streets of Douglas trying to evade the police before both men abandoned the car after reaching a dead end and fled the scene on foot.

Harrison was seen discarding the bag in a garden before he was caught by officers and arrested.

Milligan was found a short time later hiding in some shrubbery and arrested.

The court heard Heroin with a street value of between £34,600 and £69,000 was found in vacuum sealed packets hidden in silicon tubes within the parcel in the carrier bag.

Harrison told police while he agreed to have the parcel delivered to his address, he did not know what was inside it, the court heard.

Searches of Milligan's home in Manor Woods, in Douglas, uncovered £16,000 in cash stashed in sports bag and a further £4,000 hidden under a mattress.

Both men pleaded guilty to importing heroin to the island and possession of the the Class A drug with intent to supply.

Milligan also pleaded guilty to offences of money laundering and dangerous driving.

Frank Harrison was sentenced to seven years in prison

Jailing the pair Deemster Graeme Cook said Milligan had links to organised crime and had taken "more of a leading role" in the offending.

The deemster branded Harrison's claims he had no knowledge of what was in the package "absolute rubbish".

He said heroin was a "disgusting drug", and he was "sad to say" it appeared to be "on the increase on this island".

Detective Inspector Jamie Tomlinson from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit said Milligan had been "involved in the supply of controlled drugs for over 26 years here on the island".

"He had been instrumental in arranging its production, we believe from a Merseyside based organised crime group," he said.

"This is a welcome sentence which has taken a ruthless drug dealer off our streets for a significant period."