A successful businesswoman who worked as an accountant for a drug gang wailed "I can't believe it" as she was jailed.
Former professional footballer Faye Dunn was ensnared at an airport after police rumbled the million pound cannabis trafficking operation. The Liverpool Echo reports that the mum became involved in the underworld when her business ventures began to falter due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday September 6 that the 38-year-old and her dad Michael Dunn operated using EncroChat - an encrypted communications platform commonly used by criminals. But authorities gained access to the network in 2020, with Operation Venetic subsequently revealing that the daughter had been using the handle StiffNinja.
Meanwhile, her convicted drug smuggler father went under the name ZincBat. Faye Dunn was found to have been in close contact with a user known as LedZeppelin, with messages revealing she had "involvement in the supply and production of cannabis".
The mum-of-two was described as an "accountant for an organised criminal enterprise", while she had smuggled ill-gotten cash abroad. Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: "She played an operational role within the drugs supply chain but appeared to have significant influence upon others in the chain, facilitating meetings between criminal associates in relation to the supply of controlled drugs, and also instructed others to undertake tasks such as the collection and movement of packages of both drugs and cash.
"Significantly, she appears to have acted as the accountant for the organised criminal enterprise and has concealed not only her EncroChat device but also cash when travelling abroad in order to evade detection by the authorities."
Michael Dunn meanwhile handled and supplied drugs on his child's behalf and arranged meetings to transfer cash. Ms Daley added: "It is the prosecution's case that Michael Dunn willingly carried out the handling, movement and supply of cannabis for his daughter Faye.
"He also met up with other handles and arranged meetings in order to transfer money."
In one message sent by Faye Dunn - a former director of several Merseyside companies, including a restaurant and a popular children's play centre - to her dad on March 28 2020, she asked: "You reckon you can move five trees from by you over to me mate, or too risky?"
He replied: "Not tonight, roads too quiet. Can do it tomorrow." On the same day, she told a user by the name of VigilantSmith: "Will bring the trees and collect the dough but have to be near Deeside, tell him. If your mate from Wrexham can get the dough to near where I live I'll pass him the trees and grab the dough."
Two days later, Faye Dunn bought an £11,200 watch through a business account. On April 2, she sent LedZeppelin an "image of what appeared to be a tick list or accounting record" showing a total income of £1,155,548 - plus additional funds generated in Spain.
The balance sheet also documented expenditure totalling approximately £431,700. This sum included a £100,000 house, £25,000 on cars, a £21,500 watch and items of designer clothing worth £1,360.11.
On April 4, Dunn - who played international football for England u19s and turned out for Tranmere Rovers and Leeds United during her pro career - asked her dad: "Can you ask around see if anyone wants any kush please mate?" He later replied: "Will ask Billy, but they will have to be dropped up by him."
Faye Dunn enquired "can that black kid do these kush?", and he responded by asking "what kind is it?". She told her 68-year-old parent that she had "buddha, bubble, orange, Jack Herer and silver haze" available.
On May 8 2020, she travelled to the port of Santander in Spain via a ferry from Portsmouth. The trip was undertaken during lockdown in a Vauxhall van which was insured to Michael Dunn.
During the journey, Dunn was in contact with LedZeppelin and messaged him with fears that she was being tracked by the authorities while hiding cash in her trousers. Banking records showed that she had made a withdrawal of £5,000 earlier in the day.
Her messages read: "I reckon this van has got a marker on because it was as if they were waiting for me. I blagged the fella and made him half forget, so he let me just do him. If it was a problem they wouldn't have let me go. Plus I didn't act one bit fazed so I think they were happy that I was legit.
"I had another little black bag on me and I hid it in between paperwork I had on me. I didn't let them go near the other black bag and I put the other dough down me kecks behind my back and was just talking to them to half distract them. I had took all my jewellery off except my wedding ring. If I call you on normal and say Liverpool, get this phone wiped."
In total, Faye Dunn is estimated to have been involved in the supply of at least 24kg of cannabis and was said to have "played a leading role within the criminal organisation". She also laundered £654,800 of dirty money from December 2019 onwards. Meanwhile, Michael Dunn was described as having a "significant" role.
He was directly involved in the supply of 5kg of drugs in just over five weeks before ceasing his involvement. Faye Dunn was arrested at Manchester Airport on June 13 and remained silent throughout her interview with officers. Michael Dunn was held on July 11 and also gave no comment.
Both defendants, of Walpole Avenue in Whiston, admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis and money laundering. The former, previously of Kingsway Parade in Huyton, has previous convictions for drink driving and driving while disqualified.
Nick Buckley, defending, pleaded for his client to be given a suspended sentence. During his mitigation, he referenced her previous involvement in setting up charity Onside - which offered support footballers released from professional clubs - and her business supply epoxy resin floors in Spain.
Mr Buckley said: "What the court is being asked to extend is a significant element of mercy to Ms Dunn because of the responsibility she has in caring for others. It is her responsibility that those others are being placed in this predicament. She acknowledges there is serious offending that underpins it.
"There is a balance to be struck between the individual and the system here - what is contended is the balance weighs very heavily in Ms Dunn's favour. She is intelligent, resourceful, kind, loving, generous and sadly flawed. She has done wrong on a large scale over a prolonged period of time.
"Her children are being supported, encouraged and their needs are being met fully by a supportive mother. One knows the damage that separation will cause those children and the difficulties they will suffer as a result."
But Dunn, who cried in the dock with her head in her hands at various points during the hearing, was jailed for three years and nine months. She began wailing as she was taken down the cells and said: "I can't believe it."
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: "It is necessary at the outset to remark to you and others of the harm caused by trafficking cannabis. Cannabis can have profound, lasting effects on the brain. Long-term abuse can risk a user's mental health with a range of psychological problems, including paranoia and psychosis.
"Users can be consumed by the use of cannabis, which develops into dependence. Those dependent on cannabis turn themselves to crime in order to find their dependency. Many young and vulnerable people are exploited in the cannabis trade. The human toll is dramatic. Threats of and the use of violence are endemic in the cannabis trade.
"Recent events in this city show how innocent people can get caught in the spiral of violence of organised crime groups. Quite simply, cannabis dependency wrecks lives. It was into this trade that you have both willingly participated with the sole intention of significant financial reward.
"I accept that you are a woman of effectively good character - a highly intelligent, successful, motivated sportswoman, entrepreneur and mother of high achieving children. You came to this trade as a result of the failure of your businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"You took your considerable management skills into the trade of drugs. It is a tragedy to see a young woman facing a sentence of imprisonment after leading a life full of past and continuing achievements. You should have been thinking about your two young children when you became involved in serious organised crime."
Meanwhile, Michael Dunn has 23 previous convictions for 39 offences. In 1986, he was jailed in the Netherlands in connection with burglaries and was later deported. The pensioner was then jailed for nine years in Portugal in 2009 for drug importation charges. This came after he was stopped in a van while transporting 2.5kg of cannabis into Spain.
His defence counsel William England told the court that he is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and also suffers from cardiovascular and mobility issues. Mr England added: "He is no longer a young man, in fact quite the opposite. The offences are now almost three years old.
"This defendant has accepted his part in this conspiracy. He played a facilitative role and he was obviously being paid a small amount for his troubles. He was in a desperate place financially."
The court passed a two-year imprisonment suspended for two years on Michael Dunn "as a measure of mercy". Judge Potter added: "The court is dismayed that in your late 60s, you have reverted to offending. You operated below the level of your daughter. You were prepared to travel about during lockdown restrictions to handle the supply of kilo amounts of cannabis of behalf of others.
"You are not in good health at all. By the narrowest of margins, your sentence will be suspended. I will remember the day I gave you this suspended sentence."
The Dunns could now be ordered to repay the benefits of their involvement under the Proceeds of Crime Act. They will appear back before the same court next year.
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