A money laundering 'mule' linked to major drug dealer Leroy McHarrie has narrowly avoided prison.

Jake Peter Plant laundered around £15,000 by allowing criminals to pay money into his bank account before it was quickly withdrawn as cash.

The 23-year-old committed money laundering offences on two separate occasions.

The first involved one count of acquiring criminal property and three counts of transferring criminal property, involving £12,490 between August and October 2022. The second involved one count of acquiring criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property relating to £2,200 in September 2025.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court Plant was identified during Operation Extraction, which has resulted in a number of successful prosecutions involving the laundering of more than £1 million through various bank accounts.

Plant, of Ballamodha Straight, Ballasalla, received £12,490 in criminal cash in August 2022 before transferring it to other accounts in an attempt to launder the money.

The funds were linked to Leroy McHarrie, 25, a key member of an organised crime group involved in importing drugs to the Isle of Man and laundering money, who was jailed for more than 20 years in 2024.

Plant transferred a total of £10,660 to McHarrie and his business.

Investigators found Plant operated several bank accounts and received a series of incremental payments between August and October 2022.

Suspicion was raised because the money was quickly withdrawn as cash.

Mr Robinson said: ‘This is a well-known method of laundering money linked to criminality.’

He said the transactions were clearly unusual and could not be explained by Plant's income or banking history.

‘It could not be explained by legitimate means,’ Mr Robinson added.

Three years later, Plant again allowed his bank account to be used for criminal activity. In September 2025, he received £2,200 in criminal cash before immediately withdrawing and transferring £2,000 elsewhere.

When arrested, Plant admitted having sole control of the accounts and told police he had a gambling addiction and used cannabis.

Mr Robinson said: ‘The two separate sets of offences show the defendant repeatedly handled criminal property. He knew, or at least suspected, the funds were the proceeds of criminal activity.’

In mitigation, advocate Kaitlyn Shimmin said her client was trying to put the offending behind him. He now had a full-time job and was due to begin a college course later this year.

She said Plant was 19 when he committed the first offences and had been in substantial debt because of gambling and drug addiction.

Miss Shimmin said: ‘This is a typical story of a mule who ends up in a situation they cannot get out of.

‘But my client has turned his life around and has the support of his family. If he was sent straight to custody, he would undo the progress he has made.’

Deemster Graeme Cook decided to give Plant another chance, handing him a 14-month prison sentence suspended for two years.