A solicitor from south Wales wept in the dock as he was found guilty of supplying cocaine and steroids and attempting to pervert the course of justice by passing messages between a drug dealer he was representing and his drug runner.
Ben Garvey, 38, from Port Talbot, was a partner at David W Harris Solicitors & Co, with offices in Swansea, Pontypridd, and Talbot Green. He was on trial at Bristol Crown Court, and as the majority verdict was read on Friday morning, he held his head in his hands and wept, while a woman in the public gallery could be heard crying loudly.
Drug dealing and messages
The court heard that Garvey encouraged friends to buy cocaine in messages found in a WhatsApp group named 'The Old C***s'. His association with cocaine dealer Daniel Baker began in summer 2021 when Garvey purchased cocaine from Baker for himself and friends.
Prosecutor Ray Tully KC said: "[Garvey] was planning for a big night out and there was the suggestion they would need to have access to cocaine to have the use of during their big night out."
Baker, 34, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Garvey then represented him and passed messages from Baker's runner, Jake Blackburn, 28, to his client while he was incarcerated.
Attempt to protect drug operation
Following Baker's arrest on August 18, 2021, he asked to be represented by David W Harris Solicitors & Co. Mr Tully said: "He would have known Mr Garvey was a solicitor who acted for that firm and came to be represented by Mr Garvey, represented by someone he knew and supplied drugs to in the past."
Garvey was in frequent phone contact with Blackburn after Baker was remanded in custody. One message from Blackburn read: "Tell Dan Oxford's sorted, everything else by tonight." Another read: "iCloud username and password."
Mr Tully said the request for iCloud details was so Blackburn could access online material relating to Baker, "to take care of things after the boss had been nicked, and wanting to delete or wipe information online knowing the boss had been nicked." He added that the communication was an attempt to "preserve and protect the drugs operation and carry on business whilst the boss is incarcerated."
Verdicts and sentencing
Garvey was found guilty of perverting the course of justice (majority verdict), being concerned in the supply of class A and C drugs, and encouraging or assisting in the commission of an offence. Baker was found guilty of perverting the course of justice (majority verdict) and previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Blackburn was found guilty of perverting the course of justice (majority verdict) and previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
Judge Michael Cullum told the defendants that sentencing will take place on September 29. Garvey and Blackburn were remanded on bail, while Baker was remanded in custody having been recalled to prison. The judge warned that immediate custodial sentences would be among the options considered.
