A drug dealer who used the Encrochat handle ‘EducatedGoose’ hid 12 kilograms of heroin in a bedroom.
Philip Read was also trusted to handle large amounts of cash and use it to purchase ketamine and heroin from other dealers on the encrypted messaging service. The 43-year-old fell into criminality after running up gambling debts but joined dozens of other former Encro users in being jailed after a massive operation that saw the service hacked two years ago.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the dad, from Eccleston, turned to drug dealing after his massive debts left him scrambling to find money to pay his bills. Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, said records recovered by police showed Read used Encrochat, an encrypted messaging system, to track cash and drugs for deals in Merseyside during the first five months of 2020.
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Read worked within a chain of criminals that also included Mark Dumbell, who used the handle ‘BullMouth’. Mr Pickavance said Dumbell entrusted Read with a number of key functions, including counting cash and storing and purchasing drugs.
He said: “The defendant’s role for BullMouth was to store drugs and cash at his address. He was responsible for counting cash for drug deals and had his own cash counting machine.” Mr Pickavance said police investigations later discovered that Read had processed more than £230,000 in this role.
He said: “It is apparent from analysis on the encrypted messages that the defendant was handling significant amounts of money which were being used to purchase drugs.” Read’s involvement in drug dealing was uncovered when the Encrochat network, once believed to be impenetrable, was hacked as part of a pan-European operation.
Dozens of other criminals have also faced prosecution as a result of the operation. When police raided Read’s home in March last year they found 12 kilos of heroin stored in a bedroom.
Michael Flynn, defending, said Read, who has no previous convictions, turned to dealing after running up huge gambling debts and losing his job. He said he owed money to numerous loan sharks who were intent on getting their money back.
He also referred to reference from close family, friends and former colleagues as evidence of Read’s previous positive contributions to those around him. Mr Flynn said: “Those references do show a different side to this defendant and emphasise to him the trail of destruction that this defendant’s actions have caused, not for himself, but for his friends and family. It is a tragic situation.”
Judge Garrett Byrne said it was sad to see Read, who has no previous convictions, had turned to drug dealing to make money. He said: “It is clearly the case that you are a man capable of hard work. You are a family man. You are remorseful.
“However, personal mitigation like that is of course of limited force in serious cases like this.” Read, of Portico Lane, was jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and conspiracy to convert criminal property.
