Operation Nightjar: Five jailed for involvement in 'street dealing'

Nine people sentenced for drug supply offences

Nine people involved in supplying cocaine to undercover police officers on the Isle of Man have been sentenced today (20 June).

They were all arrested at the start of this year as part of 'Operation Nightjar'.

At the Court of General Gaol Delivery five defendants received immediate custodial sentences, totalling more than 13 years, and four were handed suspended prison sentences.

Before sentencing them Deemster Graeme Cook said the operation, and subsequent sentences, should be a deterrent to future 'street dealers'.

'Operation Nightjar'

Operation Nightjar focused on the supply of Class A drugs in the ‘nighttime economy’.

Undercover officers targeted the defendants, predominantly in or around licensed premises, between July and November last year.

Posing as people who wanted to buy cocaine - or 'sniff' - the covert officers sought out people who would supply them with it; in many cases using social media including Snapchat and WhatsApp.  

In some cases they repeatedly approached defendants with the prosecutor telling the court it was a 'tactical move' to try and target them on three occasions.

As a result of the operation, and the covert evidence gathered from it, the defendants – 16 men and two women - were charged with offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

You can find out more about Operation Nightjar HERE.

Sentencing

The defendants below were sentenced today for being involved in the supply of the following amounts of cocaine:

4.6 grams

Caleb Langton, currently care of the Isle of Man Prison, pleaded guilty to five offences of being concerned in the supply of the Class A substance and two of supplying cocaine.

The 27-year-old handed over 10 wraps of the drug, containing a total of 4.6 grams, as part of seven deals - behaviour which the court was told was ‘fuelled by his own addiction’.

Sentence: 3 YEARS 4 MONTHS CUSTODY

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4.4 grams

Matthew John Richards, of Anagh Coar Road in Douglas, pleaded guilty to three offences of supplying 4.4 grams of the Class A drug. 

The 34-year-old sold 0.6 grams of cocaine to undercover officers, in Jaks Bar and Smokehouse on Loch Promenade, on 14 July. 

They contacted him again the following month and, over a two-day period in August, he supplied them with 3.8 grams of cocaine. 

Richards' advocate told the court her client was not a ‘regular street dealer’ and had sold the drug to fund an addiction to gambling. 

Sentence: 18 MONTHS CUSTODY SUSPENDED FOR TWO YEARS

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3.4 grams

Karl Cameron, currently care of the Isle of Man Prison, pleaded guilty to five offences of supplying the Class A substance and one of causing damage to property.

In total the 34-year-old gave undercover officers 3.4 grams of the drug with his advocate telling the court his client's substance misuse was an ‘issue that keeps on rearing its head’.

“He is intent on moving away from the drugs scene," the advocate added: "He is still of an age where he can still turn this around if he wants to."

Sentence: 2 YEARS 5 MONTHS CUSTODY

............ 

3 grams

Thomas Reff-Butler, of Heather Crescent in Douglas, pleaded guilty to three offences of supplying the Class A drug. 

The 28-year-old sold undercover police officers in Jaks 1.2 grams of cocaine on 21 October last year.

On 4 November the officers were in the pub again and asked him to provide another wrap which Reff-Butler did. 

Six days later Reff-Butler asked fellow defendant Megan Hurst to drive him to the Loch Promenade venue where he’d arranged to conduct another deal with the officers; on this occasion he handed over 1.1 grams. 

Reff-Butler’s advocate told the court her client had become addicted to cocaine after a relationship break down adding it was a ‘bad habit’ that his employment 'could not keep up with’. 

She said Reff-Butler had supplied the drug as a way of clearing off his own drug debt adding: “At the time these offences were committed he was not thinking about the consequences of his actions.” 

Sentence: TWO YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS IN CUSTODY

“We’re yet to see those higher up the chain come before the courts.”

– Helen Lobb (Advocate) -

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2.3 grams

Kieran Bratty, of Derby Road in Douglas, pleaded guilty to three offences of supplying the Class A drug and one of being concerned in the supply of cocaine. 

Undercover officers were given the 20-year-old’s phone number in July last year and arranged to meet him in Douglas on three occasions over the following month to purchase cocaine. 

On one occasion Bratty led the officer to the home of fellow defendant Leighton Higham; once there Higham sold the officer cocaine.

Bratty’s advocate told the court his client's use of drugs and alcohol had become ‘entrenched in his lifestyle’ after leaving school. 

Describing him as ‘vulnerable’ with issues with ‘immaturity’ he added: “It’s been very much an eye-opening experience for them.” 

Sentence: 2 YEARS 9 MONTHS CUSTODY

“It’s only when they come to court that they fully understand the implications of supplying drugs.”

- David Reynolds (Advocate) -

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1.3 grams

Andrew Hay, of Victoria Road in Douglas, pleaded guilty to three offences of supplying the Class A drug. 

The 64-year-old was contacted by police on 17 November last year by undercover officers who asked him to get them cocaine; he met them and provided 0.4 grams of the drug. 

Hay then met them again on 24 and 25 November to hand over another 0.9 grams. 

His advocate told the court: “He’s very much an outlier in this situation. He’s not somebody the public needs to be protected from.” 

Sentence: 2 YEARS 5 MONTHS CUSTODY

“He’s certainly learnt a very hard lesson. He has made one stupid mistake for some financial gain.”

- Peter Taylor (Advocate) -

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1.1 grams

Leighton Higham, of Willaston Crescent in Douglas, pleaded guilty to one offence of supplying the Class A drug and one of possessing cocaine. 

The 18-year-old was approached by fellow defendant Kieran Bratty, who was in the company of an undercover officer, for cocaine.

Higham sold the officer a wrap of the drug - a decision the court heard was because he had ‘no money for food’. 

When Higham was arrested officers found 0.6 grams of the drug in his possession. 

Describing him as a ‘very young man’ Higham’s advocate said his client needed proper guidance and support to help him ‘turn down a better path’. 

Sentence: 2 YEARS CUSTODY SUSPENDED FOR TWO YEARS AND A TWO-YEAR SUSPENDED SENTENCE SUPERVISION ORDER

............ 

1.1 grams

Megan Hurst, of All Saints Park in Lonan, pleaded guilty to one offence of being concerned in the supply of cocaine. 

The 25-year-old drove fellow defendant Thomas Reff-Butler to Jaks on 10 November last year; an undercover police officer got into the back of her car where he was supplied with 1.1 grams of cocaine. 

Hurst said she was not aware that the drug deal was going to happen but accepted she’d facilitated it taking place saying: “I should have stopped and told them to get out.” 

Her advocate told the court her culpability in the 'Operation Nightjar' process fell 'at the lowest level’ adding: “It’s clear from her choice that evening that she struggles with consequential thinking.” 

Describing the offence as a ‘short-sighted decision’ he added: “There was absolutely no need for her to do it. It beggars belief to be frank.”  

Sentence: 20 MONTHS CUSTODY SUSPENDED FOR TWO YEARS AND A TWO-YEAR SUSPENDED SENTENCE SUPERVISION ORDER

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0.7 grams

Liam John Patton, of Willaston Crescent in Douglas, pleaded guilty to supplying the Class A drug and possession of it. 

The 23-year-old spoke to undercover officers in 1886 Bar and Grill, on Regent Street, on 28 July last year who asked him where they could get ‘sniff’ from. 

Patton spoke to a contact via Snapchat and led officers to North Quay to meet the dealer; he returned with 0.6 grams of cocaine which he handed to them. 

Patton’s advocate told the court her client was ‘quite intoxicated’ at the time of the exchange in the bar adding: “This was an extremely unsophisticated offence committed by Mr Patton when he was drunk.” 

“He is deeply ashamed and mortified by what he has done,” she added. 

Sentence: 12 MONTHS CUSTODY SUSPENDED FOR TWO YEARS

“He did not approach the undercover officer – he was approached by the undercover officer.”

- Jane Gray (Advocate) -

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'Operation Nightjar' continued

The joint sentencing exercise of the defendants involved in Operation Nightjar is believed to be the largest held at the Isle of Man Courts of Justice. 

Seven other defendants are due to be sentenced tomorrow (Friday, 21 June). 

In addition Louis Thomas, of no fixed address, has been charged with three offences of supplying the Class A drug cocaine. 

He failed to appear at Douglas Courthouse; a warrant for his arrest, not backed for bail, remains in place. 

Steven Paul Menton, of Boilley Spittal in Peel, had previously pleaded guilty to supplying 0.5 grams of cocaine on 12 August 2023. 

The 41-year-old’s attendance from court was excused and his case was adjourned to 12 July.

UPDATE: At Douglas Courthouse on 12 July Menton was sentenced to 21 months custody which has been suspended for two years.