‘Bugged’ car that helped put £4m drug gang in jail

Jun 30 2007 by Paula Owens, Liverpool Daily Post

A MERSEYSIDE gang involved in a £4m drugs supply plot have been jailed for a total of more than 133 years.

The international drugs ring was smashed when police bugged a car owned by one of the organisers in Formby Hall Golf Club car park, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

Paul Allen claimed to be unemployed but he was involved in the running of an illegal organisation who plotted to flood the streets and clubs of Merseyside with drugs.

During the investigation, heroin with a street value of £3.5m was discovered in a Rotterdam warehouse ready for onward transport to Liverpool.

David Turner, QC, prosecuting, said between November, 2005, and September, 2006, the group was willing to trade in any drugs they could get their hands on, and also dealt in cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis.

Sands Bistro, in Blundellsands, owned by Gary Shields, became a safe house and meeting place where drugs and cash changed hands.

Men were seen collecting cocaine worth £50,000 from the bistro in Bridge Road and police intercepted the drugs as they were driven to Stoke-on-Trent.

He was helped by Robert Loughlin, who was so close to another organiser Brian Graham that they called each other more than 1,000 times during the conspiracy, the court heard.

Brian Graham and Loughlin, who boasted he had “half a million quid”, met at Formby Hall golf course and were heard by police officers discussing a “job”, which later led to the arrest of Joseph Noble, who was caught with six kilos of heroin, worth £300,000 on the streets.

Mr Turner told the court that during the period of the plot, police intercepted large amounts of drugs.

He said: “Traditionally operations of this sort have relied on extensive surveillance of defendants, details of foreign travel and mobile telephone traffic between conspirators.

“This investigation had all those elements but a unique insight into the conspiracy was provided when the investigators were able to install a probe into the car of Brian Graham and overhear his conversations.

“It is significant that the conspiracy continued to prosper despite the interceptions and arrests.”

Brian Graham’s girlfriend Angela Blackhurst was also involved and bought a large hold-all in order to collect amounts of cash.

And he used the home of his elderly father James Graham as a safe house for drugs, the court heard. On June 4 last year, officers who raided that house found heroin and cocaine.

The gang was brought to justice after detectives placed surveillance equipment in an Audi car owned by Brian Graham, who ran Blundellsands Roofing and appeared to be a legitimate businessman, but he was part of the gang.

Jailing the 14 gang members, Judge Henry Globe, QC, said the gang was extensive and the plot went far beyond the seizures of large quantities of drugs.

He said: “Those involved in the supply of controlled drugs are instigating, encouraging and perpetuating the misery and addiction of others.”

Paul Allen, 38, of Partridge Road, Crosby, was jailed for 16 years and Robert Loughlin, 43, of Rutland House, Nicholas Road, Crosby, and Gary Shields, 46, of Brooke Road West, Waterloo, were each jailed for 15 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs.

Brian Graham, 50, of Parkway, Crosby, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

Courier Daniel Wrest, 27, of Steers Croft, Stockbridge Village, was sentenced to 11 years after pleading guilty to the conspiracy charge and to possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Colin Neary, 34, of Muspratt Road, Seaforth, was jailed for nine years, John Corish, 41, of Down- hills Road, Crosby, was locked up for eight years, and Francis How- ard, 36, of The Northern Road, Crosby, was jailed for seven years.

Phillip Tait, 38, of Vaux Crescent, Bootle, was jailed for five years and Peter Dalton, 41, of Lorenzo Drive, Norris Green, had three and half years added to a six and half year sentence he is currently serving for drugs offences.

They all pleaded guilty.

Four defendants who were convicted after a six-week trial were also sentenced.

The organisation’s “banker” Farman Ali, 52, of Spa Road, Bolton, was jailed for 14 years.

Joseph Noble, 50, of Cobb Avenue, Litherland, was locked up for eight years, and James Graham, 79, of Carrfield Avenue, Crosby, and Angela Blackhurst, 44, of Parkway, Crosby, were both jailed for four years.

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