Cardiff Crown Court Sentencing Results

Cassius Davies-Thompson was a member of the organised crime group involved in the drugs operation uncovered through the British Transport Police investigation starting from Jordan McCourt-Knight's mistake in November 2019.

Harley Hall was identified through messages on Jordan McCourt-Knight's Encro device as a key member of the drugs enterprise. He and McCourt-Knight sourced higher grade cocaine from international suppliers but fell out after customers complained about the quality due to cutting agents. A search of Hall's home found thousands of pounds in cash and over 1kg of cannabis.

Jordan McCourt-Knight was part of an international organised crime group importing drugs from Portugal and supplying class A (cocaine, MDMA) and class B (ketamine, cannabis) drugs across the South West, Shropshire and Herefordshire. The investigation began in November 2019 when he left a bag containing a large amount of ketamine (street value £19,940 to £39,880) on a train at Newport station. He was arrested with class A and C drugs, £1,910 cash, drug paraphernalia and mobile phones including an Encro device used on the Encro-Chat app to coordinate drug sourcing and supply.

On September 28, 2024, officers from South Wales Police executed a warrant at Thomas Hughes' home on Park Avenue in Porthcawl, where they found £2,660 in cash, two mobile phones, scales and deal bags indicating drug distribution, approximately 472g of cocaine valued at £13,500 to £15,000, an additional £25,000 in cash, £926 in £2 coins, £505 in Euro notes, a small bag of white powder, and a £10 Scottish bank note, totaling £29,203 in cash. This followed his prior conviction in 2019 for possession of cocaine with intent to supply and money laundering, after which he was released and reoffended with the same type of offences.

John Junior Janes, 29, of Wentloog Road, Cardiff, operated as a rogue trader using false company names like Marshalls Drives and Patios Ltd. He targeted eight vulnerable victims, including elderly and disabled individuals, by carrying out substandard home improvement works such as driveways, patios, and gardens at highly inflated prices exceeding £60,000. He used aggressive sales tactics, failed to provide cancellation rights, pressured payments in cash or to third parties, left work incomplete or poorly done, and threatened victims who complained, including one threat to 'smash your house in'. One victim suffered a stroke believed linked to the stress. Upon investigation, he attempted to pervert justice by instructing payments to withdraw complaints.

Jonathan Grossett, 36, was the subject of a warrant at an address in Rhoose, near Barry in Wales, on September 12. Officers entered the property and caught him in the bathroom attempting to flush away several bags of cocaine, which were seen floating in the toilet bowl. Drug supply paraphernalia, empty grip-seal bags, and more than £200 in cash were recovered from the address.

Mikeljan Dusha, 27, and Dylber Selimllari, 28, both of no fixed abode, were involved in the production of cannabis at a former social club in Blaenavon. Officers in Torfaen arrested both men in August when carrying out a warrant and during the search uncovered almost 500 plants.

Mikeljan Dusha, 27, and Dylber Selimllari, 28, both of no fixed abode, were involved in the production of cannabis at a former social club in Blaenavon. Officers in Torfaen arrested both men in August when carrying out a warrant and during the search uncovered almost 500 plants.

Hassan Hassan, 20, of Adamsdown, was identified as the sole holder of the 'SPICE' drug line which supplied Class A drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin, to customers. He was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers in London on July 17, 2024, while attempting to hand over the mobile phone central to the police investigation. A forensic examination of his phone by South Wales Police linked him directly to the drug line, showing he sent bulk text messages offering crack cocaine and heroin to hundreds of people at a time. He was one of 25 people arrested in July 2024 by the Cardiff and Vale Organised Crime Team during a month-long crackdown that seized a quarter of a kilogram of crack cocaine and £17,000 in cash, and shut down 21 drug lines.

Paul Atkinson, operating through companies like Protecta Home Improvements and MET Construction Ltd, deceived customers by promising building work such as extensions and orangeries, but failed to complete it after receiving deposits totalling £147,500 between September 1, 2019, and July 30, 2022. He used fabricated website content, made excuses for delays, performed substandard work, ignored refund requests, and issued subtle threats to customers who posted negative reviews. Victims suffered financial hardship, emotional distress, and in some cases, considered suicide; one victim had to carry a disabled child over a dug trench in their garden.

On September 6, 2022, David Tyrell and David Allsopp were stopped in Butetown, Cardiff, where a DeWalt toolbox containing 28KGs of Class B Amphetamine was found in their vehicle. Various papers with step-by-step instructions for the preparation and production of amphetamine and receipts for the purchase of a hydraulic press were also recovered. A property in Derbyshire linked to David Allsopp was searched, yielding a further 22KGs of amphetamine, along with smaller quantities of Ketamine and Class A MDMA. A lockup in Blackpool linked to Allsopp contained 100 litres of acid, an industrial sized cooking vat, and paraphernalia for producing industrial quantities of amphetamine. In total, 50KGs of amphetamine were seized, with a street value estimated between £250,000 and £500,000. The chemical lab was dismantled.

On September 6, 2022, David Tyrell and David Allsopp were stopped in Butetown, Cardiff, where a DeWalt toolbox containing 28KGs of Class B Amphetamine was found in their vehicle. Various papers with step-by-step instructions for the preparation and production of amphetamine and receipts for the purchase of a hydraulic press were also recovered. A property in Derbyshire linked to David Allsopp was searched, yielding a further 22KGs of amphetamine, along with smaller quantities of Ketamine and Class A MDMA. A lockup in Blackpool linked to Allsopp contained 100 litres of acid, an industrial sized cooking vat, and paraphernalia for producing industrial quantities of amphetamine. In total, 50KGs of amphetamine were seized, with a street value estimated between £250,000 and £500,000. The chemical lab was dismantled.

Jordan Mattan, 32, Luke Mattan's brother, was found guilty of delivering approximately 600g of cocaine to an address in Porth in March 2020 on behalf of the organised crime group, plus another cocaine supply offence while on bail.

Between June 2023 and May 2024, while director of Banwell Buses Ltd (trading as Beeline Taxis), Peter Roland Banwell falsified 26 LOLER safety certificates for wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifting equipment, which were required for 14 contracts with Caerphilly County Borough Council to transport children to schools. The fraudulent certificates, including nine sent on 24 May 2024 dated for future 15 December 2024, enabled the company to receive £253,550 while operating nine defective and uncertified vehicles, two of which were unsafe. Upon discovery, the vehicles were suspended, Banwell admitted forging the certificates, and resigned as director.

Kevin Thomson acted as a courier in the organised crime group distributing Heroin across the UK. The group handled over 70 kilograms of Heroin valued at £7,000,000 on the street. The investigation involved cross-jurisdictional efforts, with enforcement days at the end of 2022 uncovering drugs and laundering tools.

Steven Creasey, a Cardiff-based professional courier for the Liverpool-based organised crime group, was arrested on May 12, 2022, by Police Scotland while driving to Fife from Cardiff via Liverpool. A vehicle search revealed 5 kilograms of Heroin and 1 kilogram of adulterant in a hidden compartment, plus a burner phone linking him to the group. The group trafficked over 70 kilograms of Heroin worth £7,000,000.

Christopher Brannan, based in Liverpool, was a head of the organised crime group that collected wholesale amounts of Heroin and distributed it across the UK via couriers including Steven Creasey, Kevin Thomson, Christopher Heaney, and Jeffrey Hickson. He laundered the proceeds through his partner Kirsty Murphy's bank account. The group trafficked more than 70 kilograms of Heroin with a street value of £7,000,000. The investigation, Operation Solon, commenced on May 12, 2022.

Dylan Harley, 44, of Oak Place in Bargoed, was involved in the supply of class A drugs including heroin and crack cocaine in Caerphilly County Borough. He was arrested during a police raid at his address in January 2024. Officers seized class A and B drugs, weapons, cash, a mobile phone, and drug paraphernalia.