by A man’s trip to the chip landed him behind bars for nearly 30 years.
Thomas Speed was identified as the user of the EncroChat handle “Simple Creek” after his secret messages showed him referring to a chip shop near his home, as well as his tarmacking business.
He and two other men, James Salkeld and Scott Roseau, were given a combined total of more than 65 years behind bars on Monday, after using the encrypted communications platform to smuggle firearms and wholesale quantities of Class A drugs. traffic.
A trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard that Speed and Roseau were involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine “at a commercial level”, trading in kilogram quantities for thousands of pounds each. They also used the accounts “SimpleCreek” and “MysticKangaroo” respectively to make deals on guns before the network was infiltrated by French police in 2020, reports the Liverpool Echo.
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Stephen McNally, prosecuting, described how the former was linked to his username by the North West Regional Organized Crime Unit after other users referred to him as “Tom”, and also told him the user “FlameCalm” was called “Speedy”. during one conversation. Meanwhile Speed, on Moorhey Road in Maghull, was asked “that u tarmac?” by “SlightDrake” on 30 March 2020, after owning a business called Maghull Surfacing Limited.
The 37-year-old made further reference to this line of work when speaking to “HuntedElf” on April 2, sending a picture of paving stones he drew up alongside the message: “I have 35m2 to pave this street done, so I’m done. . Easy day, flag out, son.”
Later Speed arranged a meeting with “SkiBat” on April 14 saying: “Go to the shops at our colleague. The Seabreeze chip, I’ll be there in 10.”
It was said that his house was only “a matter of yards away and a one minute drive” from him. The dad also sent a picture of his children playing inside his living room to Hunted Elf, told “KingWasp” that it was his birthday on April 26 and mentioned that he had been seriously assaulted in which he suffered head injuries and attended Aintree Hospital on May. 8.
Meanwhile Roseau – of Daubeney Road in Hackney, East London – was dismissed as Mystic Kangaroo by messages giving away his name. Cell location and automatic number plate recognition data also linked the movement of the 41-year-old’s Encro phone, personal cell phone and rental Mercedes.
And Salkeld was revealed to be the user of the “BestGolfer” handle through messages about his brother’s arrest, a trip to Amsterdam and the death of a family member. The 37-year-old, of Delamore Street in Kirkdale, had to be extradited back to the UK from the Netherlands following his arrest in November 2022, having also used EncroChat to supply firearms, crack down on heroin, cocaine and cannabis.
Speed’s previous convictions include three and a half years for trafficking Class A drugs in 2008. Alaric Walmsley, defending, told the court: “There have been large proportions of his life where he had caught in legal and, to some. degree, successful businesses.
“He has, for whatever reasons, adopted this way of making a living back in 2020. Before that, the businesses he had built in the past and were able to support his family in a legitimate way are seen to his honor .”
Roseau’s criminal record contains entries for possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence in 2003 and supplying heroin in 2007 after a quantity of the Class A drug, £10,000 in cash and a bag of bullets, shells and gunpowder to recover. . His barrister Jon Harrison said: “He was sentenced in court about 17 years ago.
“Prior to 2003, he was someone in further education and working towards a legitimate and positive lifestyle before an incident at a children’s party turned into a serious adult-with-a-firearm situation. He developed an addiction to heroin, which which led to his other offenses.”
“Mr. Roseau got clean and fathered three children and took responsibility for another person with significant needs. His life was back on track, although the jury found that he was indeed Mystic Kangaroo.”
Mr Harrison argued that it could not be concluded that any deal for firearms had been successfully carried out, adding: “There was no evidence of a reclusive lifestyle.
“He has a number of dependents who will be negatively affected by his absence. Mr. Roseau wishes to be back with them as soon as possible.”
Salkeld has previous convictions for anti-social behavior and driving, last appearing before the courts when he received eight months for affray in 2019. Speaking for him, Sam Parham said: “A letter from his former a party on the positive side of his character. .
“His remorse, which we have put forward, is genuine. We say that he shows himself in the way he is behaving in custody.
“He had a very positive relationship with the Samaritans and played a positive role there. He put his remorse into practice and achieved positive results for others and a very positive change in himself.”
Speed was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to possess firearms for sale or transfer, conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. Appearing via video link at HMP Liverpool, he was jailed for 28 years.
Roseau was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to possess firearms, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. His supporters erupted and walked out of the courtroom when he was given 22 years.
Salkeld pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition and conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis. He was locked up for 15 years and four months.
Sentencing, Judge Louise Brandon said Speed had “the ability to find firearms as and when” while Salkeld “acted as a go-between” for the supply of guns, adding : “You have contributed to the degradation and human misery that drugs cause. It is inevitable that your own families will also suffer.”
