'That's an incredible amount to lose...' businessman jailed after making 'appalling' decision

A 'successful' businessman is in jail after making an 'appalling' decision and turning to crime. 'Hard working' dad Michael Gaskell ran his own firm as a plasterer.

But as Covid hit in 2020 and work dried up, he began to 'panic' about how he would support his family, Minshull Street Crown Court was told. Gaskell, 36, from Dukinfield, who has previous for dealing cocaine, turned back to his old ways and became involved in a huge drugs conspiracy.

The wider organised crime gang, which he was a part of, was responsible for flooding the streets with up to 50 kilos of cocaine worth up to £2 million, the court heard. Gaskell was not said to be at the head of the gang, but was a mid-level criminal answering to the orders of its second-in-command.

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Two other criminals, said to be less senior than Gaskell in the outfit, were also jailed. Daniel Latchford, 37, and Anthony Christian, 38, were both locked up after admitting their roles in the gang, which was also behind the supply of about 80 kilos of cannabis, said to be worth up to half-a-million pounds.

The Tameside based trio were the latest to be jailed following the law enforcement hacking of the highly encrypted EncroChat communications network. Greater Manchester Police was handed a treasure trove of evidence incriminating serious and organised criminals who used the system, after it was penetrated by French police.

Within the messages, the trio, who all used expensive EncroChat phones, discussed drug dealing with other users. of the network. Gaskell was said to have the most contact out of the three with the second-in-command.

Using the messages, prosecutors assigned the amount of