This goes on a bit
Taxi driver's secret life as 'NuttyLeopard' EncroChat drug dealerhttps://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... d-19907872He ferried cocaine, cannabis and dirty cash across Merseyside in his taxi
Image: Liverpool EchoA dad of one was exposed as part of a drug conspiracy in which he would transport cocaine and cannabis in his taxi across Merseyside.
Shaun Done's double life came toppling down when he was outed as 'NuttyLeopard' - his alias used on encrypted messaging service EncroChat.
The private hire driver was employed by Britannia Taxis in Huyton, but claims that when work dried up because of the pandemic, he turned to a life of crime.
Done, 25, would transport drugs and money to and from safe houses and locations across Merseyside.
When police caught up with him they discovered he had over £27,000 stashed in his Huyton home - some of which he stored in dirty washing baskets.
Charles Lander, prosecuting today at Liverpool Crown Court, explained officers "identified the defendant as the user of an encrypted phone with the handler name 'NuttyLeopard'".
Mr Lander told the court between March 22 last year and June 2 Encrochat messages revealed Done to have an "active role in the transportation of cocaine, cannabis and money".
In his role Done was "instructed to regularly attend safehouses to collect cocaine and cannabis (often having to weigh/bag out the drugs) before then couriering the drugs for onward distribution".
Mr Lander said Done was "clearly a highly trusted member in the hierarchy of these conspiracies".
On the 28th March last year, was asked to “..fly 2 oz lem no pen to macs lang bar”.
Mr Lander said: "The clear inference from the message is that the defendant is being instructed to take 2 ounces of cocaine to a specific destination (macs lang bar)."
Another message revealed how he was told to transport four and a half ounces to one customer in West Derby.
The court heard how in the messages a safehouse where the drugs were stored was referred to as "skins".
On March 29 is told: "Garston kid on for oz lem” before Done is told he would be paid £1,350.
When Done responds to say he is "grabbin lem" he is instructed: "wen ye in skins go in the big tub there is 2 corners with pen on give the cartel 1 with pen on take it the flat”.
Mr Lander explained that one corner refers to a quarter of a kilogram.
The following day Done is ordered to undertake inventory in a message that reads: "..at the end of every night write down wat uve done..both of us write it down end of every night..”.
The court heard on April 24 Done was told to get “lem” (cocaine) and “haze” (cannabis).
Mr Lander said: "Later that day, the Defendant is told to go to 'skins' to collect another cocaine delivery."
He added: "the Defendant informs his boss that there is 'plod' around so it appears he has to wait before he can go inside the premises."
On November 10 last year police stopped Done on St Johns Road in Huyton and found three mobile phones on him.
Mr Lander explained that his home on Beech Road was raided and £27,883.50 was discovered stashed in various places including in dirty washing baskets.
Mr Lander said: "The police also searched the taxi as well as the van that the defendant had been seen in earlier in the day and although no money or drugs were recovered in either vehicle, the police noted that there were a number of wooden panels and voids within the vehicles."
Done has no previous convictions, the court heard.
Julian Nutter, defending, said: "As you can see from his reference he really was a man of effective good character working honestly as a taxi driver.
"Covid came along and the bottom fell out of his business and he fell to temptation - something he deeply regrets."
The court heard he has a fiancée of nine years who is currently seven months pregnant and has a son aged seven.
Mr Nutter said: "It is plain through those messages, plain somebody made a deliberate decision to exploit him.
"Who better to pick upon than somebody who has the apparent cover that they are a genuine and honest taxi driver going about the ordinary course of business."
Mr Nutter added: "The people who sat behind him, who controlled him, who gave him that Encrochat phone, trusted him to move substantial amounts of drugs.
"They are not people to meddle with. With that trust comes increasing fear."
Mr Nutter asked the judge to consider the current impact of coronavirus on prisoners and Done's guilty plea when sentencing.
Done, of Homestead Close, Huyton, admitted; conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property.
Judge Robert Trevor-Jones, sentencing, said: "You operated on effectively a daily basis. You clearly, not from the start, became a highly trusted member of the conspiracy.
"Your role was to collect substantial amounts of cocaine and cannabis from the established safe houses where they were stored."
The judge detailed that Done would then transport them and was also involved in collecting payments.
Judge Trevor-Jones said: "You were directed to bag and prepare the drugs. You were provided with a valuable encrypted phone.
"Your legitimate job as a taxi driver added to the illegal enterprise."
The judge said Done's job allowed him "cover" for his movements when ferrying drugs and ill gotten gains.
Judge Trevor-Jones said: "On April 19 in particular you were asked to tally up what drugs you had been moving over a particular period and asked to keep inventory for the purposes of record and the purposes of your reward."
Done was jailed for seven years and nine months.
Detective Sergeant Steve O’Neill said: “Today’s sentencing shows once again how seriously police and the courts take those organised criminals who supply drugs across Merseyside and beyond.
“Shaun Done was supplying large amounts of illegal drugs and generating vast profits in doing so. He will now perhaps take time to reflect on the risks he took and the harm he caused, while serving his jail time.
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