Ex-boxing champ jailed for using EncroChat to arrange cocaine deals

Carl 'Dynamite' Dilks will spend 8 years behind bars

Carl Dilks poses after his victory over Joe Ainscough in the Super-middleweight bout at the Indoor Sports Centre, Leigh, Lancashire. Photo: Dave Thompson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

A former champion boxer has been jailed for using EncroChat to arrange cocaine deals for a gang who plotted to smuggle €164 million (£140million) of the drug into the UK from Sierra Leone.

Carl 'Dynamite' Dilks has been handed down an eight-year sentence his “paltry” role in their massive operation.

The ex-British Masters light heavyweight champion used the encrypted communication platform to traffic cocaine under the name ‘Cherry Vape’.

Dilks allegedly turned to the drug trade as he feared losing his family home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that he acted as a “commodities broker” in the supply of drugs.

He also directed others to collect and deliver the drugs, as well as thousands of pounds in cash.

Dilks operated in a gang alongside Neil Maguire, who went by ‘Holy Book’ and led by Darryn Schofield, who went as 'Thor'.

Messages showed he was in communication with three users ‘Golden Lad’, ‘Phone Fixer’, and ‘Five Fingers’ as they discussed the supply of at least 8kg of cocaine.

These communications led to his arrest on November 29th 2023 at his home in Netherton Green.

“It is incomprehensible to all who know Carl Dilks that he has found himself in the position he has found himself in today,” Sarah Holt, for the defence told the court.

“Your honour has numerous letters written on his behalf by those who know him best.

”They are a reflection of the man Carl Dilks really is.

“I do submit that he was only involved for a very short period of time. He was not someone who was part of a wider crime syndicate, in cahoots with those who are criminally sophisticated.”

She also told the court that Dilks was not a “member of the gang” and that “everything he did was at the request of Darryn Schofield.”

Alex Langhorn for the prosecution told the court: “The crown say that he was his own man, operating his own deals as and when he chose.”

“None of the cocaine was his. It belonged to others.

“The prosecution accept that Carl Dilks is not as criminally sophisticated as many others who have already been dealt with as part of this case.

“I am going to suggest that the role played by Mr Dilks was a very limited one for a limited time.”

Carl Dilks (NCA)

Ms Holt told the court that Dilks “let his wife down and his children and his wider family down, and that he has let them down very badly.”

“Your honour will see the anger, but also the love and support, which is apparent from her letter. He has let them down in a way which is far worse than any financial hardship that lockdown could have brought.

“His actions did not result in any significant financial benefit. His benefit, I suggest, was paltry when one considers the overall loss to him and his family. His benefit was hundreds and not thousands, and certainly not hundreds of thousands,” she continued.

“The lifestyle he had, the house he had, does not bear out someone with a lavish, drug dealing lifestyle. He has a modest family home. He and his wife work.

“Everything up until this point which he and his wife earned went on bills, the family home and the children. His children and his wife are his only concern.

“Telling the children was perhaps the hardest thing that he and his wife had to do. It is not their fault and it is not his wife's fault. She had no idea what was happening.”

She said that his wife will now have to care for and provide for their three children alone.

“It is a burden placed upon her by Mr Dilks, and that is not lost on him.

“He has always worked. He has worked hard. He has been actively involved in all of his children's lives.

“He has volunteered his time in the boxing community, giving back regularly with dedication,” she continued.

“He served his country. He was in the King's Regiment, in a warzone, aged 19. He has been working away on the railways.”

In sentencing comments, Judge Ian Harris said Dilks was “heavily and extensively involved in serious crime.”

“Dealing drugs is an evil trade. Drugs cause untold misery to individuals and communities.

“Drug abuse leads to considerable acquisitive crime and violence, often lethal violence. You voluntarily and enthusiastically entered this society,” he continued.

“You did not work for either Maguire or Schofield. Valuable drugs were supplied between the three of you and others, depending on stock.

“You directed Maguire to pay cash and deliver drugs to others. Schofield and you were operating at a similar level, with Maguire underneath you,” the judge continued.

“Bluntly, people like you never expected to be detected because of the use of these sophisticated telephones and aliases.

“You steeped yourself in serious drug dealing until word got around that the EncroChat system had been compromised,” he continued in his admonishment.

Judge Harris said that he was given very impressive references for Dilks.

“Your wife has written to me and set out the strength of your family life. She mentions the obvious point about how much your three children will miss you.

“Sadly, their position has been caused by your criminality and failure to consider the consequences of your actions.

“You have no relevant previous convictions. I am satisfied that you have demonstrated remorse.

“Testimonials speak very highly about your usual personal characteristics and altruism in assisting others in the community, both in football and boxing endeavours.”

He was then handed down 8 years behind bars.

Meanwhile, gang boss Schofield (45) admitted to importing 1.3 tonnes of cocaine and was handed down a sentence of more than 20 years behind bars.

Neil Maguire was given 11 years and four months in prison after her admitted his involvement in the supply of multi-kilo amounts of cocaine between 2020 and 2023.

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