Gang tech expert who helped hoods evade justice has two years added to sentence

A SELF-styled gangland spy who used an encrypted Encrochat phone to help hoodlums evade justice has had his jail time extended.

Career crook and former market trader Ian Sweeney, 53, was hired by Scotland’s top table criminals over fears they were being spied upon by cops.

We revealed yesterday how Sweeney – who had been the director of a private investigation firm – used the handle BugSweep on the EncroChat phone network once favoured by crime mobs.

He is currently serving a five year jail-term having been convicted in 2023 for his role in a large-scale drug dealing operation.

And today at the High Court in Glasgow Judge Lord Colbeck topped up his current prison sentence by a further two years, running consecutively to his present jail term.

He said: “You involved yourself in Class A and B drugs and did services for money to further serious organised crime.

“You do understand that the offence is a particularly serious one.

“There is no outcome other than a custodial sentence for public protection as well as to mark society’s disapproval of your offending behaviour.”

Prosecutor Margaret Barron earlier told how Sweeney “developed a reputation within criminal circles” of being able to get information on certain individuals including tracing where they could be found.

This included offering advice and providing “anti-surveillance measures” to avoid detection by the police.

He was also able to help adapt vehicles to construct “stash” areas which gangsters often use to hide drugs or dirty money.

The court was given examples of some of the exchanges he had on EncroChat, which was busted by the French and Dutch law authorities.

In one, he suggested a cost of £1500 for a “bug sweep” of any house or office in a European country.

Miss Barron said Sweeney was also involved in trafficking cocaine and cannabis throughout Scotland.

Thomas Ross KC, defending, told the hearing Sweeney’s long-held interest in “technology” involved him initially carrying out legitimate work, but eventually “word spread” how his skills could be used by criminals.

Sweeney, of Salsburgh, Lanarkshire, was jailed in March last year for having teamed up with flash drugs boss James Paterson.

He helped Paterson, 35, track down someone who owed him money.

Sweeney also passed on orders to another individual as part of Paterson’s massive drug trafficking operation.

Like the latest offence, Sweeney was convicted of being involved in serious organised crime.

Paterson was jailed for 14 years for crimes including class A drug dealing and money laundering.

Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said:  “I hope that this conviction and the sentence send a strong message to others involved in this kind of criminal behaviour and demonstrates the ability of police and prosecutors to investigate, prepare and prosecute serious and organised crime of this nature.  

“We will continue to work with our partners at the Scottish Crime Campus and as part of the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle serious organised crime.

“This kind of case highlights the extensive work that has been ongoing against these groups.”