Ballymena drugs dealer (45) sentenced in Derry court for offences linked to EncroChat

A self confessed drugs dealer from Ballymena, who was caught as a result of a joint investigation by police forces in France, Holland and the U.K., has been jailed for forty-four months at the Crown Court in Derry.

Joseph Dornan, 45, a father of five from Casheltown Road in Ahoghill, was arrested in 2022 after police in France and Holland managed to gain access to encrypted mobile phone data on Encrochat phones used by drugs dealers.

Using the username "Symbolic-Phone" the defendant sent his mobile phone number as well as his business name to another Encrochat user whose phone was one of those hacked by the investigating authorities.

Dornan also had a business van with the same phone number printed on the side of the vehicle.

Following his arrest he pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply, guilty to possessing criminal property  namely £20,000 and guilty to offering to supply cocaine. He committed the offences on dates in June and July of 2020.

A prosecutor told Judge Neil Rafferty KC that the cannabis charge related to the importation from Holland of twenty-three kilograms of the drug. Dornan and two associates divided the cannabis equally among themselves. The £20,000 was Dornan's share of the cannabis transaction.

The prosecution barrister said an aggravating factor of the case was Dornan's previous conviction in 2005 for his involvement in the smuggling from Holland of sixty-one kilograms of cannabis resin and forty-one kilograms of herbal cannabis. He said in the present case it was accepted Dornan is "a person who is supplying smaller retailers for commercial profit".

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Defence barrister Michael Duffy KC said Dornan became involved in this offending "when his business collapsed and he made a very foolish decision to get involved in this". He said given his previous time in custody for similar offending Dornan " is terrified of going into custody. He has now paid the price."

Jailing Dornan Judge Rafferty said Dornan's previous drugs offending and his use of an Encrochat phone were aggravating factors.

"I appreciate imprisonment has an impact on the broader family but there are mothers and fathers who watch the health of their children decline through drugs misuse", he said.