Isle of Man convicted drug smuggler has jail term slashed

Darren Dooley appeared at Douglas Courthouse via video link

A convicted drug smuggler who turned his life around has been freed from prison following a successful appeal.

Darren Dooley, 30, was jailed for two years and eight months for conspiracy to bring 16lbs (7.2kg) of cannabis to the island and for supplying it.

His sentence has now been reduced to 16 months, suspended for two years.

Appeal Judge Jeremy Storey QC said he had been "impressed" with how Dooley had "worked hard" to rehabilitate his life while on bail for the offences.

Dooley, of Oak Avenue, Douglas, was one of seven men sentenced in November 2020 for their part in smuggling £150,000 worth of cannabis.

The court heard he was charged in February 2019, while serving a jail sentence for an unrelated incident, following a police investigation into cannabis found stashed in vehicles on a ferry in 2018.

'Impressive change'

He was released from prison in December 2019 and placed on bail.

Defence advocate Paul Rodgers told the court Dooley had since “done everything you could imagine” to “turn his life around” and it was "the most impressive change in circumstances" he had seen in his career.

The 30-year-old had started a successful plumbing business and had a child with his partner, he said.

At the original sentencing in November, the court heard Dooley had offered his plumbing services to NHS workers for free during the Isle of Man’s first Covid-19 lockdown.

Ian Kermode, his defence advocate at the time, said: "His mother said he had become a different man.

"His personality before and after the offence is chalk and cheese. He is the model of a rehabilitated offender."