Drugs kingpin jailed for 'commercial scale' cross-border operation

Earle (left) and Baxter (right) were involved in trafficking drugs back and forth between Scotland and England

A gang's "kingpin" who was "organising, buying and selling on a commercial scale" and plotting to produce a tonne of amphetamine has been jailed.

Terence Earle also had a "leading role" in a conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

The 48-year-old from St Helens denied being in the gang and told a prosecutor he was "barking up the wrong tree".

Calling Earle's evidence "incredulous", Judge Andrew Menary jailed him for 16 years six months.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said Earle was the Merseyside-based gang's "kingpin", who conspired to produce amphetamine with a street value of £1m at an as-yet-unidentified location in Scotland and planned to supply cocaine and heroin in England and Scotland.

Lancashire Police found heroin in Feerick's lorry

During a trial of issue, Earle disputed supplying 24lb (11kg) of cocaine and planning to supply a further 13 to 17lb (6 to 8kg), while accepting he was involved with the supply or transport of 15 to 17lb (7 to 8kg).

He claimed he falsely promised to supply cocaine to "string along" a Scottish contact who he expected to produce amphetamine oil with a street value of more than £200,000 from chemicals he provided.

Martin Reid, prosecuting, said Earle and his associates - Stephen Singleton, Lee Baxter, Stephen King and Stephen Feerick - imported drugs into England from Europe and beyond.

He said a quantity of a chemical used in the production of amphetamine was delivered to a property in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, on 23 March 2020.

He added that in the following December, a lorry which had been loaded from a warehouse at Reams Hill Caravan Park in Weeton, Lancashire, was stopped by police and 1,230lb (560kg) of the chemical was found on board.

Bundles of cash were found in a lorry being driven by Feerick, along with a large quantity of heroin

The NCA said Feerick, who had ordered that shipment, had been arrested a month earlier as he drove a lorry southbound on the M6.

Lancashire Police officers discovered a holdall containing almost 6lb (3kg) of heroin, worth about £300,000, and £20,000 in cash.

A subsequent search of Feerick's home revealed a further £9,370 in cash.

The court was told the facility in Scotland which was set up to produce amphetamine had not yet been found by police and it remained unclear how much had been made, though Mr Reid said it had been supplied with enough chemicals to make a tonne.

The court was also told about messages sent using the encrypted Encrochat service, which was hacked by law enforcement agencies in 2020, which the NCA said showed Earle oversaw the trafficking of heroin and cocaine between England and Scotland with the help of Baxter.

The messages also showed Earle discussing adulterating 19lb (9kg) of cocaine to make 26lb (12kg) to sell.

Earle told the court he facilitated the supply of 2lb (1kg) of cocaine after bumping into an acquaintance by chance in the street in Huyton and when asked about the messages by Mr Reid, he answered: "You're barking up the wrong tree, mate."

He said the messages were like a book that could be interpreted in different ways by different readers, adding: "In this book, I'm the author."

Surveillance of the gang captured Feerick (left) and Earle (right) working together

Sentencing him for two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine and one of conspiracy to produce amphetamine, the honorary recorder of Liverpool Judge Menary said some of his evidence had been "incredulous".

"I'm sure you were playing a leading role in this conspiracy," he said.

"You were organising, buying and selling on a commercial scale."

NCA branch commander Richie Davies said the gang had been "intent on profiting from producing and supplying illegal drugs on a large scale".

"They tried to conceal their unlawful activities but the NCA's investigation, supported by our partners in Scotland and Lancashire Police, has dismantled their criminal group," he added.

Singleton, 36 and from Birkdale, Baxter, 48 and from Liverpool's Norris Green, and Feerick, 68 and from Dovecot in Liverpool, admitted their roles in the conspiracies, while King, 49 and from Dumbarton, was found guilty following a trial.

Singleton was jailed for three years five months, Baxter was given a sentence of one year 10 months, suspended for 18 months and King was given an 18-month sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Feerick will be sentenced at a later date.

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