Belfast court decides on serious crime prevention order for drugs convict

A application to impose a serious crime prevention order on a woman who played an “organisational role” in a drugs enterprise was rejected today (Thursday).

Last June, 41-year old Yingle Jiang was sentenced to three years and nine months for a series of drugs offences including being concerned in the supply of cannabis and removing criminal property. These offences were linked to a number of seizures of cannabis with a potential street value of £3.3m.

In June 2020 a pallet of music speakers containing a significant amount of the Class B drug, which was destined for an address in east Belfast, was seized at Heathrow Airport. The following month, just under £2m’s worth of cannabis was recovered from a property in east Belfast.

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Jiang, from Cloverfield Street in Belfast, was arrested along with a male in August 2020 and was subsequently sentenced last June for a string of drugs offences.

The term imposed at Belfast Crown Court was divided between one year in custody with the remainder of the term to be spent on licence.

After she was sentenced, the PSNI issued a statement which branded Jiang as “a significant member of an organised crime gang behind a number of large cash and drug transactions”.

Regarding the cannabis seized, the PSNI said: “These drugs would have made their way to other criminal gangs across Northern Ireland and, by the onward supply and profiteering, increased their grip on the community.”

The case was back before court today where Judge Patricia Smyth gave a ruling on a Crown application to make Jiang the subject of a serious crime prevention order. Setting out the background to Jiang’s offending, Judge Smyth said this occurred between September 2019 to August 2020.

She said: “It is clear from the large volume of text messages that the defendant was part of a criminal network involved in the supply of substantial amounts of cannabis throughout Northern Ireland.

“There is no dispute that the defendant played an organisational role arranging rental addresses to receive consignments of drugs, transferring large amounts of cash back to the UK mainland, was in direct with a London boss and evidently had knowledge of other drug transactions being conducted by him.”

Judge Smyth added at the time of her arrest Jiang - a single mother living in rented accommodation in Belfast - displayed “no trappings of wealth” and had a clear criminal record.

Regarding the Crown order sought, the court heard the proposed terms imposed upon Jiang included permanent residency and telephone number notifications.

Other proposed terms included restrictions on the amount of cash she is allowed to carry, restrictions on dealing with rental properties and a requirement to carry a copy of the order at all times.

These proposed terms, the Crown submitted, were both necessary and proportionate to reduce the risk of further offending and to protect the public. Prior to giving her ruling on the application, Judge Smyth said she had considered Jiang’s personal circumstances.

These included the affect Jiang’s offending and imprisonment has had upon her three children and the impact upon Jiang’s mental health.

Judge Smyth said: “There is no doubt that the defendant’s offending has cost her and her children dearly. The psychological ill health that the defendant had suffered since this offending has no doubt been brought about by the realisation of the consequences.

“In my view these are factors which are likely to reduce the further risk of re-offending which would inevitably result in a further custodial term of considerable length.”

Judge Smyth also spoke of the “lengthy period of licence” imposed upon Jiang last June which ensures she is “closely monitored”.

Rejecting the application for the serious crime prevention order, the Belfast Recorder said: “I have concluded - weighting up the various factors - that there are no reasonable grounds to believe there is a real risk that the defendant will be involved in further offending for which the public will require protection.”

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