A delivery driver from Wishaw, Anthony Kelly, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for his involvement in serious organized crime, specifically drug dealing. During a court hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, it was revealed that between August 2018 and June 2020, Kelly made approximately £462,375 from illegal activities related to the trafficking of cocaine and cannabis. However, at the time of the hearing, only £45,599.50 of this amount was available for seizure.

The prosecution detailed how Kelly's criminal activities were uncovered as part of a Police Scotland initiative known as Operation Aversion. Evidence linked him to over £400,000 worth of cocaine purchases and cannabis valued at around £14,700. His communications with gang associates on platforms like WhatsApp and EncroChat played a significant role in establishing his involvement.

In late 2018, Kelly expressed concern about police investigations into organized crime after one gang member was apprehended with a significant quantity of drugs. Following this incident, police raided his home but did not bring charges at that time. Despite this setback, he continued to engage with other criminals through EncroChat until his arrest in October 2021.

During the court proceedings, prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel highlighted messages indicating ongoing drug trafficking operations and noted that Kelly had advised gang members on avoiding detection after violent incidents related to their criminal activities.

Judge Andrew Miller emphasized the severity of Kelly's offenses during sentencing due to the harm caused by drug supply within communities. Following the conclusion of the hearing on Monday by Judge Lord Renucci, an order was made for Kelly to surrender £45,599.50 while allowing for further legal action if additional assets were identified later on.

Original article

The article presents a narrative that is deeply entrenched in a particular ideological and cultural bias, one that reinforces the notion of law and order, while simultaneously perpetuating a negative stereotype about individuals involved in organized crime. The language used is replete with emotive and loaded terms, such as "serious organized crime," "drug dealing," and "gang associates," which serve to create a sense of moral outrage and reinforce the notion that those involved are inherently evil.

The use of phrases like "serious organized crime" creates a sense of gravity and severity, implying that the crimes committed by Kelly are not only heinous but also pose a significant threat to society. This framing serves to justify the harsh sentence handed down by the court, which is presented as a necessary measure to protect the public from Kelly's alleged wrongdoing. However, this narrative ignores the complexities of poverty, inequality, and systemic issues that may have contributed to Kelly's involvement in organized crime.

Furthermore, the article's focus on Kelly's wealth generated from illicit activities reinforces a class-based bias, implying that those who engage in such activities are inherently wealthy and privileged. This narrative neglects to consider alternative explanations for Kelly's wealth, such as his potential involvement in legitimate business ventures or his socioeconomic circumstances. The emphasis on wealth also serves to reinforce the notion that those who engage in organized crime are somehow more deserving of punishment due to their perceived affluence.

The article also exhibits linguistic bias through its use of passive constructions that obscure agency. For instance, it states that "police raided his home" without specifying who initiated or authorized these raids. This omission serves to deflect attention away from potential police misconduct or overreach and instead focuses attention on Kelly's alleged wrongdoing. Similarly, when discussing Kelly's communications with gang associates on platforms like WhatsApp and EncroChat, the article notes how these messages indicated ongoing drug trafficking operations without providing any context about how these messages were obtained or what methods were used to gather evidence.

The text also reveals structural bias through its implicit defense of systems of authority. The article presents police investigations into organized crime as an unproblematic exercise in justice-seeking without questioning their methods or motivations. This lack of critical scrutiny allows for an uncritical acceptance of police actions as legitimate exercises in law enforcement rather than acknowledging potential power imbalances or biases within these institutions.

Moreover, when discussing Judge Andrew Miller's emphasis on the severity of Kelly's offenses due to harm caused by drug supply within communities, we see confirmation bias at play. The judge accepts assumptions about drug supply being inherently harmful without considering alternative perspectives on decriminalization or harm reduction strategies. By presenting one-sided evidence about drug supply causing harm within communities without acknowledging counterarguments or complexities surrounding this issue reinforces an ideologically charged narrative about drugs being inherently destructive.

In addition to these biases mentioned above there is another subtle yet pervasive form present throughout this text - temporal bias through presentism - where historical context surrounding policing practices is left uninterrogated allowing readers accept current policing methods uncritically despite their problematic pasts