Great-grandfather, 80, who became drugs mule shifting £13m of cocaine for one of Britain's most feared cartels is jailed for seven years
Widowed Malcolm Hoyland was arrested in a police bust after he made 17 cocaine drops for the notorious Byrne Organised Crime Group when his son became ill and fell into debt.
The gang is considered a wing of the ruthless Kinahan Cartel, which is one of the world's most powerful organised crime groups with a multi-million pound empire spanning drug-smuggling, arms-running, money laundering and extortion.
Ex-soldier Hoyland and his 49-year-old son Richard's point of contact in the Irish-based Byrne gang was a mysterious underworld figure named only as 'Mr Miyagi' after the elderly mentor from the Karate Kid movies.
Based at a £200,000 semi he rented from Richard, in Prestwich, Manchester, Hoyland snr made trips in his car across the UK including Plymouth, London and Ripon, North Yorks and was said to have been regarded as a 'trusted' figure in the racket.
Police swooped on the property last January and found cocaine inside with a street value of £8.3million.
Detectives believe up to £13million worth of cocaine was handled by the white-bearded OAP and his son before being trafficked to various gangsters across Britain on behalf of the Byrnes.
At Manchester Crown Court Hoyland snr who has arthritis, is partially deaf and has other serious health conditions, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and was jailed for a total of seven years and three months. It is feared he will now die behind bars.
Hoyland jnr from Todmorden, West Yorkshire, also admitted conspiracy and was jailed for 10 years. Both will have Proceeds of Crime hearings in January.
The racket was uncovered after police began a surveillance operation on the Hoylands following a tip off they were dealing with the Byrnes.
Inquiries revealed Hoyland jnr had first come into contact with the Byrnes after he developed the incurable neurodegenerative illness Huntington's Disease and his business went into liquidation.
Hoyland snr who formerly worked as a roofer and a farmer after leaving the army then agreed to help out his son with cocaine drops when the family home got into mortgage arrears.
Describing the duo's role in the gang, Prosecutor Alex Langhorn told the court: 'They were involved in the source and supply of at least 137kg of cocaine on behalf of someone whose name was stored in their phones as "Mr Miyagi".
'There were 17 trips with destinations as far flung as Ripon, North Yorks, Leicester, Accrington, Batley, Haydock, Sunderland, Sheffield, Plymouth, Burnley and the City of London.
'Mr Miyagi directed what was to be done with the packages but it would appear Richard was the primary point of contact and he passed things onto his father who was a willing participant in the conspiracy.'
The court heard how Hoyland jnr was seen meeting with a member of the Byrnes gang and following a handover that man travelled on supplied cocaine to other gangsters in the cartel, the prosecutor said.
'On one occasion Richard received a call from a Mr Miyagi saying: "Yo mate ASAP" and another contact using the pseudonym Mike Tyson on the encrypted Zangi app contacted him to ask if his father could deliver 5kg of cocaine to a postcode in Hulme, Manchester,' Mr Langhorn said.
'Richard then contacted his father who then arrived in Hulme whereupon Mr Miyagi sent him a message saying the person collecting the drugs could not see him. Mr Miyagi then asked Malcolm to check if the drugs had "Cartier" stamps embossed on them. A further series of handovers were later observed.'
Police who raided Hoyland snr's address found him sat in his car on the driveway. In the living room three bags were found containing 70g of cocaine and a machete was found hidden underneath cushions on a sofa.
A further 13kg of cocaine was found a box in a wardrobe in a bedroom. In the garage police recovered two empty Sports Direct sports holdalls suspected to have been used in a previous consignment plus £2,000 in cash locked away in a safe.
Initially Hoyland snr claimed to have no knowledge of the drugs but later admitted: 'I was aware packages containing drugs were stored in the property but I did not arrange for the drugs to be brought to the property.
'I was directed by my son and occasionally dealt with some packages. I wrote some notes and I accompanied Richard on a number of trips around the country but at his request I would stay in the vehicle whilst he conducted whatever business there was.
'I also accept on a very few occasions I made deliveries on my own but I acted at all times under the direction of my son. I felt I could not report the drugs to the police as I was afraid about what others might do to my family. '
Hoyland jnr was stopped as he was driving his Ford Transit in Littleborough.
His ex-partner's home was searched and officers recovered two iPhones and £5,040 in cash from a sock drawer in the master bedroom.
He later said he got involved in the racket due to a 'hole in his finances' after being forced to give up his job due to his illness and claimed he was trying to provide for his family.
In mitigation for Hoyland snr, defence counsel Michael James said: 'He was acting under the direction of other people. He felt he was simply helping out his son and didn't feel he could do anything else.
'He didn't ask to become involved but became involved due to the family's circumstances. His role in the operation was towards the bottom of the chain and there is a real risk given his age and current health that he may never be released from custody before he passes away.'
For Hoyland jnr, defence counsel Nicholas Clarke said: 'He was not making significant amounts of money. He had lost his career and been diagnosed with a medical condition which will affect his ability to walk, wash and feed and he merely made sufficient money to keep up with his mortgage and keep his family in clothes and food.'
In sentencing Hoyland snr, Judge Peter Horgan said: 'It is a sad state of affairs when I have to sentence a man of 80 for such serious crime.
'I accept you introduced to this conspiracy by your son - however you were acting in the expectation of significant financial reward and you made your own decisions to play an active role.
'Others have expressed how dumbfounded at your involvement in this matter.'
Speaking following their pair's sentencing, Detective Constable Elle Cartwright, of Greater Manchester Police's serious organised crime group, said: 'This was a sophisticated and highly organised criminal network responsible for flooding communities with harmful drugs.
'Richard Hoyland, along with his father Malcolm, played pivotal roles in supplying vast quantities of class A drugs to gangs across the country. Their convictions are a significant result in our ongoing fight against serious and organised crime.'
The Byrnes gang is believed to be responsible for a number of gangland hits, drug smuggling and trafficking.
They are an off-shoot of the Kinahan Cartel - which is believed to currently be operating from Dubai.
Steven Gerrard's influencer daughter Lilly-Eva is currently dating Lee Byrne, the son of jailed crime boss Liam Byrne, who works for the Kinahan Cartel.
Her future father-in-law's gangster brother David Byrne, 33, was machine-gunned to death in 2016, while his cousin is convicted Kinahan murderer 'Fat Freddie' Thompson, 44.
While there is no suggestion Lee is involved in crime, his relationship with Lilly-Ella has raised eyebrows, with former Garda assistant commissioner Pat Leahy previously warning Gerrard that any links with the Byrne clan did him 'no favours'.
Lilly-Ella and Lee announced the birth of their first child together earlier this year.
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