New sentencing date set for drug kingpin from St Helens

Members of the organised crime group (OCG) based in Merseyside and run by kingpin Terence Earle, 48, of Freckleton Road, West Park, will be sentenced at a later date as the hearing was rescheduled at Liverpool Crown Court today, Wednesday, January 18.

Earle appeared via a video link from prison wearing a grey Nike tracksuit top.

Arrest after NCA drugs probe

Earle and other gang members were arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) following an investigation.

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The NCA said Earle used the encrypted communications platform EncroChat to organise his criminality and enlisted the help of subordinates Stanley Feerick, 68, and Stephen King, 48.

Terence Earle and Lee Baxter captured on camera by NCA officers during the investigation (Image: NCA)

In December 2020, Lancashire Police seized more than 560 kilos of alpha-phenylacetoacetamide (APAA) - a chemical used in the production of amphetamine - from the group. This would have been capable of producing around £1.1m worth of amphetamine at the lab in Scotland.

It was found in a lorry which had been loaded from a warehouse at a caravan park in Weeton, Lancashire, on the orders of Feerick.

Heroin found in the lorry (Image: NCA)

In March 2020, as the nation entered its first lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the gang arranged for boxes of APAA which had been stored at the same warehouse to be loaded and driven to a garage in Motherwell.

EncroChat messages showed that Earle also oversaw the trafficking of heroin and cocaine from Scotland to Merseyside, and in the opposite direction, with the assistance of Lee Baxter, 48, of Devon Way, Huyton.

In November 2020, Feerick, of Longreach Road, Dovecot, Liverpool, met King, of Dumbarton in Lanark, south east of Glasgow, who supported the production of amphetamines.

L-R Terrence Earle, Stanley Feerick, Lee Baxer Stephen King (Image: NCA)

Shortly afterwards Feerick was arrested as he drove a lorry southbound on the M6 motorway and officers discovered a holdall, which was found to contain 2.9 kilos of heroin worth £300,000 and £20,000 in cash.

A search of Feerick’s home unearthed £9,370 in cash.

Further EncroChat messages showed that the gang was also involved in the trafficking of cocaine from Scotland to England.

NCA officers arrested Earle, Feerick Baxter and King in March 2021.

Earle and Baxter pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on October 3, 2022, with Feerick changing his plea to guilty on December 5 before he was due to stand trial.

Heroin found in Ferrick's lorry (Image: NCA)

Meanwhile, King was convicted by a jury on December 15, following an eight-day trial.

The NCA’s investigation formed part of Operation Venetic, the UK NCA-led law enforcement response to the takedown of the EncroChat service in July 2020.

Stanley Feerick (left) and Terence Earle (right) (Image: NCA)

New sentencing date set

Earle and co-defendants defendants appeared for a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court today, January 18.

The court heard that there are still matters to be considered regarding Earle's "basis of plea" meaning that his sentencing could not proceed.

Judge the Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC adjourned the case, with a new sentencing date set for Wednesday, March 1.

Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Stock)

OCG posed a 'serious threat to communities'

After Earle’s conviction, NCA Branch Commander Richie Davies said: “Terence Earle’s criminal organisation posed a serious threat to communities across Scotland and Merseyside.

“They were determined to make money from producing or supplying illegal drugs, despite knowing the risk those drugs posed to users, and to many others affected by the violence and exploitation fuelled by the trade.

“Our investigation has dismantled their crime group, and demonstrates the NCA’s constant work to protect the public from the highest risk criminals impacting on the UK.”