A drug dealer was described as a "little idiot" by a Liverpool gangster in a series of secret EncroChat messages.
Jack Brownsill, 23, was involved in a plot to flood the streets with about 50 kilos of cannabis. He also acted as a courier and 'gofer' for the Cox organised crime family. The Salford based firm, led by Jason Cox with the help of his brothers Craig and Lee Cox, were involved in dealing up to 20 kilos of cocaine, the MEN reports.
They also launched an audacious armed robbery at the stash house of a notorious Liverpool gang, after joining forces with Liverpool gangster Richard Caswell, getting away with about £1 million of cocaine and leaving two men seriously injured. Brownsill was acquitted of having any involvement in cocaine dealing or the robbery.
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But he was found to have been involved in conspiracies to deal cannabis and possess criminal property, the significant sums of cash generated by the gang's drug dealing. Manchester Crown Court heard that the gang's activities were uncovered after EncroChat, the encrypted phone network used by criminals, was hacked by law enforcement.
The messages revealed that Brownsill acted under the direction of Jason and Craig Cox. He supplied kilos of cannabis on their behalf and also acted as a courier.
Prosecutor Jamie Baxter said Brownsill did not have an EncroChat phone of his own, but he was allowed to borrow Jason Cox's encrypted device from time to time.
In some of the messages, Jason Cox and Richard Caswell spoke about Brownsill. Cox told Caswell how his courier had been arrested for drug driving and driving without insurance in April 2020. "Who Jack? Little idiot him," Caswell replied.
Cox replied: "I know little s*** got my hire car took, just needed him still till my ban up its up next month."
Even after others involved in the conspiracy had been arrested, Brownsill continued dealing cannabis. He used Snapchat to send out 'flare' messages offering drugs for sale, and later said he was selling a kilo of cannabis every two weeks.
When police went to arrest him at his home in April last year, Brownsill tried to throw his phone out of the window as officers arrived.
Defending, Felicia Davy said the messages passed between Jason Cox and Caswell about Brownsill revealed his position in the chain. She said: "Plainly he was not held in any particular high regard or seen by those higher up the chain as a serious player, as it were."
She said Brownsill was a 'useful courier' and a 'gofer' for the gang. Sentencing Brownsill to four-and-a-half years in jail, Judge Patrick Field QC told him: "You continued your own business of dealing in cannabis, and it was also apparent that you were trusted by Jason Cox to use his EncroChat device on occasions to facilitate you dealing on the organised crime group's behalf.
"I accept however you were plainly not regarded by other conspirators as their equal. That much is apparent from messages passing between them."
Brownsill, of Partridge Close, Warrington, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to possess criminal property after trial. He also pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis. He was found not guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to rob after a trial.
Jason Cox, 35, of Warrington; Craig Cox, 33, of no fixed address; Lee Cox, 38, of Oaklands Road, Salford, and Caswell, 40, of no fixed address, are due to be sentenced at a later date.
