A gang of youths fled the scene on a scrambler bike after several shots were fired at a house
Police at the scene of the shooting at the junction of Chester Avenue and St Asaph Grove in Netherton(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A Skorpion submachine gun which was used in a shooting was recovered from inside a hole in the walls of a flat. Joshua Hayes, who called himself “the Boss Man”, and his co-conspirators arranged for a plasterer to carry out work on the apartment in order to ensure that the deadly weapons could be hidden away from the police.
But a bug which officers had planted inside his Mercedes ultimately provided instructions on how to locate the bounty of weapons. It came as he built up a lucrative cocaine trafficking business worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, having been caught boasting that his graft phone alone was worth £200,000.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Merseyside Police initially searched two flats on Condron Road North in Litherland on July 13 last year, believing that firearms were being kept inside. While they did not discover any such weapons at this stage, detectives then reviewed materials which had been obtained “as a result of a device within Mr Hayes’ car”.
Nicola Daley, prosecuting, described how this related to conversations between the 34-year-old and co-defendants Anthony Bennett, James Harrison and Georgie Medway which had taken place inside the Mercedes three weeks earlier on June 21 2024. This saw them discuss enlisting a plaster in order to ensure that the firearms were kept “proper safe” in a “hole in the wall”.
One of two Skorpion submachine guns recovered from a flat on Condron Road North in Litherland(Image: Merseyside Police)
This led to officers returning to one of the flats, the address of drug user Michael Caldwell, and drilling through a newly plastered and redecorated area. They then recovered three separate bags wrapped inside a tea towel, each containing a firearm, from inside a “void” in the walls.
The weapons in question were found to be two Czech-manufactured Skorpion submachine guns and a self-loading pistol. Several expanding bullets, designed to explode upon hitting a surface in order to cause maximum damage, were also recovered from alongside the automatic firearms.
Caldwell’s DNA was recovered from the trigger guard of one of the Skorpions and the rear hand grip of the other. Medway’s DNA was similarly recovered from the latter while the former contained the DNA of teenager Thomas Ball, who was also forensically linked to the pistol.
A self-loading pistol recovered from a flat on Condron Road North in Litherland(Image: Merseyside Police)
Ms Daley also documented how one of the Skorpions had been “fired in a road” previously, with a “number of casings and bullets being recovered from the scene. The incident ultimately did not result in any persons sustaining injuries.
The ECHO understands that this related to the firearm which bore Ball’s and Caldwell’s DNA being discharged in Chester Avenue in Netherton on February 16 2024. It was previously reported that Merseyside Police were called to the scene shortly after 6.45pm on this date after receiving reports of five gunshots being fired at a house.
A group of seven youths were then said to have been seen leaving the area on scrambler bikes in the direction of Park Lane. Several bullet casings were subsequently recovered by forensics officers.
These casings ultimately allowed detectives to identify that the gun discovered on Condron Road North was the same as that used during the incident. None of the defendants were accused of being involved in this shooting.
One of two Skorpion submachine guns recovered from a flat on Condron Road North in Litherland(Image: Merseyside Police)
The seizure came against the background of a “large scale street dealing operation” which was being run by Hayes, who wore a blue Asics tracksuit in the dock and sported short dark hair. Ms Daley detailed how this saw him supply class A drugs to a “lot of different customers”, with the listening device having also recorded him discussing how he estimated the phone which he used to ply his trade to be worth in the region of £200,000.
Hayes was meanwhile heard to tell his associates that he “supplied about a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine every five days”, the line having been active “between midday and 2 o’clock in the morning every day”. He was also heard describing himself to others as “the Boss Man”.
Ms Daley added: “Overall, the crown would submit that, over the period of January up to the 15th of July, there was a supply of approximately 9kg of cocaine. The wholesale value of that amount would likely be in the region of £252,000 to £324,000, with the potential street supply being worth about £360,000 to £900,000.”
Hayes was found to have laundered tens of thousands of pounds of his proceeds through the Monzo and Revolut bank accounts of Kayla Wilson and left others, including Aaron O’Brien, in charge of his graft phone for periods of time when he was holidaying abroad, including a trip to Turkey with Harrison and Medway. The home address of Stephen Sutter was meanwhile used for “bagging up” drugs for onward supply.
Adam Dean was similarly tasked with manning the line at one stage, seemingly receiving payments of more than £13,000 in order to do so. But he was arrested in possession of the device on June 20 while being carried in a Ford Focus being driven by John Newton.
The audio bug also captured Bennett discussing a “lab” for the production of crack cocaine at the second flat on Condron Road North. This was the home address of Matthew Ball, who was referred to as “G in the Wags” and “G Wags” by his co-defendants.
Searches of this apartment subsequently revealed bags containing 50g and 27g of cocaine, 18 knotted plastic packages amounting to nearly a kilogram of 85 per cent pure crack cocaine and a total of 132g of heroin. Quantities of an adulterant substance, a knuckle duster and other drug paraphernalia were also recovered from the property, which was unoccupied at the time of the raid.
Harrison was meanwhile evidenced to have offered “various different strains of high quality cannabis” for sale via Instagram and Telegram. During the month prior to his arrest, on July 15 last year, alone, he was shown to have offered to supply “in excess of 41kg” to his customers.
Experts estimated that, over the period of six months, this tally would have increased to “very large quantities” of around 248kg. The 28-year-old was also said to have travelled to Manchester alongside Hayes and Bennett on one occasion in order to collect “two large carrier bags”, which were suspected to contain cannabis.
Matthew Ball, of Willow Way in Croxteth, admitted supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine and possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply. The 28-year-old was imprisoned for nine years and two months by Judge Gary Woodhall on Friday.
Matthew Ball(Image: Merseyside Police)
Thomas Ball, of Sedburn Road in Kirkby, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possession prohibited firearms, supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine and being concerned in the supply of ketamine and cannabis. The 18-year-old was handed four years in a young offenders’ institute.
Thomas Ball(Image: Merseyside Police)
Bennett, of Oriel Crescent in Kirkdale, admitted conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possession ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis and production of crack cocaine. The 31-year-old was locked up for 17 years and seven months.
Anthony Bennett(Image: Merseyside Police)
Caldwell, of Condron Road North in Litherland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate and conspiracy to possess prohibited ammunition. The 40-year-old was jailed for five years.
Michael Caldwell(Image: Merseyside Police)
Dean, of no fixed address, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. The 28-year-old was sentenced to four years and eight months.
Adam Dean(Image: Merseyside Police)
Harrison, of Akenside Street in Bootle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate and conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis. He was given 15-and-a-half years behind bars.
James Harrison(Image: Merseyside Police)
Hayes, of Ryefield Lane in Litherland, admitted conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunitions, possession of a firearm when prohibited for life, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. He was imprisoned for 20 years.
Joshua Hayes(Image: Merseyside Police)
Medway, of Rosalind Way in Bootle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis and production of crack cocaine. The 21-year-old was handed 12 years.
Georgie Medway(Image: Merseyside Police)
Newton, of Rydal Avenue in Crosby, admitted conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs. The 33-year-old received a total of four years.
John Newton(Image: Merseyside Police)
O’Brien, aged 24 and of Sonning Avenue in Litherland, and 33-year-old Wilson, of Eden Vale in Netherton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. They were locked up for six years and eight months and four years and 10 months respectively.
Aaron O’Brien(Image: Merseyside Police)
Sutter, of Osborne Road in Litherland, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to conceal criminal property and possession of cannabis. The 33-year-old was jailed for six years and eight months.
Stephen Sutter(Image: Merseyside Police)
Merseyside Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said following the hearing: “I am in no doubt that communities across Merseyside are safer now that these individuals are behind bars. Members of this OCG possessed weapons, such as the Skorpion, that have been used to kill innocent people in Merseyside.
“Victims have died after being caught in the crossfire of disputes between groups like this who depend on violence, threats and intimidation to maintain their trade in illegal drugs. So many lives have been torn apart by OCGs, but we continue to work on a daily basis to rid our communities of them, bring offenders like these to justice and remove the extremely dangerous weapons and illicit drugs they possess from circulation.
Kayley Wilson(Image: Merseyside Police)
“I want to take this opportunity to thank all officers involved in this investigation. Their dedication and commitment has led to this day, and it gives me great satisfaction to see their hard work pay off.
“Their enquiries established that these criminals were in possession of dangerous weapons, significant quantities of drugs and large sums of illicit cash. Officers on the ground then acted with courage and speed to detain the offenders in their homes, in cars and on the street
“Twelve people will now serve prison sentences as a consequence of their actions. Officers and staff at Merseyside Police come to work every day to protect our communities and results such as this show how worthwhile those efforts are. If you want to help us in these efforts, please give us any information you have on OCG activity and we will do everything we can to protect our communities.”