Sentence for family trio embroiled in 'criminal enterprise'

Monday, 26 September 2016 00:00

A mother and her two children who were embroiled in a money laundering ring have been sentenced after being caught transferring money to a 'criminal enterprise' in Merseyside.

51-year-old Beverley Taylor and her son and daughter Jamie and Meghan Griffin appeared at Douglas Courthouse last week.

The trio had all pleaded guilty previously to one charge of removing criminal property from the Isle of Man at varying points between June 2014 and December 2015.

They'd transferred large amounts of cash knowing or believing it was criminal property.

21-year-old Meghan, who is seven months pregnant, made 45 separate transfers over the period transferring more than £19,000.

Her advocate told the court she'd been 'struggling to make her way in the world' and was 'easy prey' to those involved at a higher level within the drugs trade.

He said she was 'concerned and fearful' for the future of her unborn child due to the fact there are no mother and baby facilities at the Isle of Man Prison.

Her brother Jamie, who was badly injured during a fishing incident in 2013, made 14 transfers totalling £12,565 over the period.

His advocate told the court his primary motive for offending was money saying he had 'substantial difficulties with drugs and alcohol' and was 'ripe for exploitation by others'.

Their mother made eight transfers totalling just under £7,000 - her advocate told the court she was originally told the money was being collected to buy clothing from Primark.

Sentencing the trio Deemster Mongtomerie said there were a number of 'aggravating factors' in the case.

He jailed Jamie Griffin for nine months, ordered Beverley Taylor to carry out 200 hours of community service and imposed a 15-month sentence, suspended for two years, for Meghan Griffin.