‘Roidsville’ EncroChat user organised profitable class A drug supply

Nathan Bradley was judged to have played a significant operational role in ensuring class A drugs were transported across the country.

The drugs were couriered by Michael Murray and Gary Stevens, who then returned to the gang’s ‘office’ with thousands of pounds in cash.

The trio appeared to be sentence at Chester Crown Court on Friday, January 20, which heard that the scale of the organised crime group stretched into ‘millions’ of pounds.

Bradley and Murray both admitted charges of conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and possession of criminal property, while Stevens pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis only.

A fourth co-defendant, Samuel Brough, aged 32 and of Warrington Road in Dutton, is to be sentenced at a later date after a Newton hearing.

Simon Parry, prosecuting, explained how the case arose following Operation Venetic – a nationwide police compromise of the EncroChat encrypted criminal communication network.

Nathan Bradley

The defendants also used other secure forms of communication such as WhatsApp, Wickr and Snapchat, while there is evidence that Bradley was in discussions about Russian encrypted SIM cards.

These cost around £1,250 for a six-month subscription and feature ‘spoofing’ software to disguise the number and voice modulation to prevent voice identification.

The court heard how Bradley, aged 31, initially used an EncroChat device with the handle ‘Roidsville’, before taking over one under the handle ‘RelevantWelder’ in May 2020.

He was found to have discussed sorting a full-time drug courier, with evidence suggesting he had a ‘high degree of an operational role’.

The dad was involved in discussing which driver to send to Manchester to either deliver or collect 5kg of cannabis, as well as sourcing 1kg of cocaine.

The defendant, of Rennie Drive in Latchford, was involved in the supply of no less than 3kg of cocaine and 33kg of cannabis, as well as the movement of £321,000 in cash.

The court heard he played between a ‘leading and significant role’. He had his own drug dealing on a commercial scale, as well as working alongside others in an operational role organising drivers.

Michael Murray

Murray meanwhile operated as a courier, with the use of a work van enabling him to transport drugs and cash during lockdown with less chance of being stopped by police.

There are at least 11 days of activity between March and May 2020 involving the 32-year-old for the group, during which he visited the organised crime group’s Manchester premises, known as the ‘office’.

Here he collected and delivered 5kg cannabis to Carlisle and a further 5kg to Scotland, before returning with £60,000.

The dad-of-three, of Maple Road in Winwick, also made other trips to places including west Yorkshire, Birkenhead, Derbyshire, Knowsley and Lancaster.

The court heard that Murray was involved in the supply of 1.25kg of cocaine and 17.5kg of cannabis, playing a significant role with some awareness of the scale of the operation, from the quantities of drugs and cash he handled to the geographic spread of his role.

The third defendant, Stevens, is Bradley’s 38-year-old cousin, and he also operated as a courier.

Gary Stevens

He was active prior to the EncroChat data capture period, having made trips to deliver and collect drugs and cash to Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington and Chester.

There are at least five days of activity involving Stevens, of Starkey Grove in Latchford, for the group, travelling to west Yorkshire and Carlisle.

The prosecution said that Stevens was involved in the supply of at least 1.25kg of cocaine and 6.5kg of cannabis, playing as significant a role as Murray, but at a lower level.

The court heard that Bradley is of previous good character, while Murray has no ‘relevant’ previous convictions. Stevens has eight convictions for 10 offences, including for possession of cocaine.

In defence of Bradley, his barrister referenced his guilty plea at the earliest opportunity, genuine remorse and his hopes to never to come before the courts again.

He also spoke of his ‘exemplary’ work record from leaving school, working as a scaffolder from the age of 16, despite a ‘turbulent upbringing’.

The trio were jailed at Chester Crown Court

Mark Connor meanwhile, defending Murray, said that his client, who has always worked and worked ‘very hard’, takes full responsibility for his wrongdoing.

He highlighted how he had the responsibility of looking after his younger siblings growing up, and how any money illegally earned was used to support his family.

It was added that Murray, who is ‘deeply regretful’, was abusing alcohol and drugs at the time but managed to turn his life around, and that custody has had a ‘salutary’ effect on him.

In mitigation of Stevens, Michael Scholes said that he previously served in the army and does not blame anyone but himself for what he has done.

It was also heard that the defendant was abusing alcohol and was addicted to cocaine at the time of the offences.

Before sentencing, recorder Eric Lamb said: “In each case, clearly the offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.

Bradley was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Murray was locked up for six years and Stevens was jailed for five years and three months.

The defendants will appear back before the court later in the year for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, to learn how much of their ill-gotten gains they will need to repay.