Sentencing Of Ian Paul Mcguigan

On 9th December 2016 a 39 year old Anglesey man, Ian Paul McGuigan, and two men from Liverpool, Anthony Donovan aged 33 and Brian Townsend aged 36 appeared before Caernarfon Crown Court and were sentenced for Conspiracy to Supply Cocaine and a Firearms Act offence (McGuigan). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ian Paul McGuigan received 8 years imprisonment for conspiracy and 5 years to run concurrently for the firearms offence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anthony Donovan and Brian Townsend both received 4 years 8 months for conspiracy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Det. Ch. Inspector Brian Kearney at Caernarfon CID said “Ian Paul McGuigan was considered by some as ‘Anglesey’s Drug Lord’ where in-fact he was a leach praying on the vulnerable in our towns and villages whilst portraying himself as a legitimate car dealer and horse breeder. Until his recent arrest he believed he was untouchable. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“However that all changed on 5th September this year when Police Officers filmed him at his home address in Ty Croes, Anglesey handing over more than £35000 in cash to Antony Donovan and Brian Townsend two drug couriers from Liverpool. McGuigan was then seen receiving 1 kilo of cocaine, before travelling with the Liverpool couriers to a field near Ty Croes to stash the cocaine. After two days of meticulous searching by specialist Police search teams a further kilo of cocaine was located hidden in the field. The cocaine seized was 97% pure, with a street value of between £117000 and £176000. Further seizures included 24 kilos of the drug cutting agent boric acid and eight .22 cartridges with hollow points designed to expand on impact from his vehicle along with a taser disguised as an Iphone at his home. A police search team subsequently recovered the £35000 from two carrier bags hidden in a specially adopted compartment in the VW Passat” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Ian Paul McGuigan’s criminal enterprise truly wrecked lives in our community. He had enough boric acid in his possession to cut 1.4 to 2.1 million pounds worth of cocaine. We welcome the sentences handed down today and as they begin their terms of imprisonment I hope they realise that bringing drugs into north Wales does not and will never pay. I wish to reassure the community we serve, that no one is untouchable and with your help, support and intelligence we can effectively target those who cause the most harm.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Area commander Supt Nigel Harrison said “Those that bring misery by distributing controlled drugs in our community will be relentlessly pursued. The sentence of Ross Smith earlier this week, and today’s sentence of Ian Paul McGuigan signals our clear intent to seek out and rid our communities of drug dealers. More arrests will follow. We are determined to continually work effectively with the Crown Prosecution Service and our partner agencies to effectively target these selfish individuals.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Andrew Warman, Senior Crown Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service said “Drugs cases are often thought of as victimless crimes, when the reality is that the Community as a whole is the Victim. The CPS are committed to tackling these criminals who prey on our Communities.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Supt Harrison concluded, “We have made great strides in targeting those who commit the most harm and with the continued help and support of our communities I’m sure we can continue to do so and make our streets safer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​