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Liverpool Echo

National

Abigail Nicholson

31 EncroChat criminals caught after massive hack exposed gangland networks

One year on from one of the most significant breakthroughs in the history of the fight against organised crime, 31 men in Merseyside have been jailed after EncroChat was breached.

Detectives were given access to the private messages of some of Europe's most dangerous and influential gangsters when the encrypted messaging platform was hacked by a joint French and Dutch operation in April 2020.

The hack was one of the most significant victories of all time in the fight against organised crime.

EncroChat software was loaded onto mobile phones, allowing users to communicate on a latform long considered impenetrable by police.

Passwords prevented access to seized phones and data could be wiped if the wrong codes were submitted.

The National Crime Agency's Operation Venetic and Merseyside Police's Operation Aquarium have concentrated on suspected users in the area and have now arrested more than 100 suspects.

Dozens have been jailed with firearms and drugs offences over the last year in Merseyside.

1. Adam Lonergan - SickMallet

Adam Lonergan, 30, of Rydal Avenue in Prescot, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months for conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis between March 29 and June 5 and possession with intent to supply amphetamine.

His Encrochat handle was SickMallet

2. Anthony Connolly - OrdinaryDingo

Anthony Connolly, 29, of Ellerman Road, Liverpool, was sentenced to 14 years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, conspiracy to supply cannabis, and conspiracy to possess/convert/acquire criminal property.

His Encrochat handle was Ordinarydingo

3. Brian Marshall

Brian Marshall, 46, of Robson Street, Everton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A Drugs – cocaine, and was sentenced to 10 years.

4. Carl Stewart - ToffeeForce

Carl Stewart, 39, of Gem Street, Liverpool was sentenced to 13 years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, MDMA, ketamine and transferring criminal property.

His Encrochat handle was Toffeeforce and he was identified after sharing an image on his encro device of a block of cheese in the palm of his hand, from which his fingerprints were analysed.

5. Christopher Dentith - KindTailor

Dentith, 29, of College View, Huyton, was sentenced to 17 years three months after pleading guilty to supply cocaine and ecstasy.

His Encrochat handle was Kindtailor

6. Christopher Perryman - NuttyDingo

Christopher Perryman (Merseyside Police)

Christopher Perryman, 39, of Gloucester Road, Huyton, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.

His Encrochat handle was Nuttydingo

7. Daniel Wilson - NormalAir

Daniel Wilson, 33, of Silverbeech Road, Wallasey, was sentenced to seven years and eight months after pleading guilty to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis and conspiracy to convert criminal property in relation to the proceeds of his crimes.

He also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis. His encrochat handle was NormalAir

8. David Williams - LovelyGiant

David Williams, 39, of Limekiln Lane, Vauxhall, was jailed for 13-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.

His Encrochat handle was LovelyGiant

9. Dean Deary - RecoveryMan

Dean Deary, 39, of Pinehurst Avenue, Anfield, was sentenced to 12 years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, ketamine and cannabis.

His Encrochat handle was Recoveryman

10. Gavin Jones - SatinTown

Gavin Jones, 42, of Houlgrove Road, Vauxhall was jailed for 14 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine

He used the Encrochat handle Satintown.

11. Isaac Rasmussen - IntimateMode

Isaac Rasmussen, 28, from Heath Road Widnes, previously from the Huyton area was sentenced to 10 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiring to fraudulently evade prohibition on the import of Class A drugs and conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the import of Class B drugs.

His Encrochat handle was Intimatemode

12. Jack Pritchard

Jack Pritchard, 29, of Mavis Drive, Coppull, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A Drugs – cocaine, and was sentenced to 10 years.

13. Jack Stanley Jones - FeralWhale

Jack Stanley Jones, 27, of Hey Park in Huyton, was sentenced to 16-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, MDMA, cannabis and methamphetamine.

He also pleaded guilty to importation of Class A and B controlled drugs into UK, conspiracy to produce cannabis, conspiracy to convert criminal property for playing a leading role in drug importation, which saw police seize 18kg of cocaine concealed in children's Duplo boxes of lego.

His Encrochat handle was Feralwhale

14. James Duckworth - AtomaticMantis

James Duckworth, 42, of Langdale Close, Kirkby, was sentenced to 16-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.
His Encrochat handle was AtomicMantis and he was the first to be convicted on Merseyside as part of Operation Venetic.

15. Jordan Alvis - LaughingStorm

Jordan Alvis, 35, of Trent Close, West Derby, was sentenced to nine years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply ketamine and heroin and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.
His Encrochat handle was Laughingstorm

16. Jordan Hughes - SnowEmu

Jordan Hughes, 30, of Huyton, was sentenced to 12 years after pleading guilty to conspiring to supplying multi-kilos of heroin and cocaine.

His Encrochat handle was SnowEmu

17. Jordan Quinn - WiredFork

Jordan Quinn, 31, of Valiant Close, West Derby, was sentenced to 14 years and three months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and ketamine and possession of criminal property.

Quinn used the Encrochat handle Wiredfork

18. Liam Hughes - BleakMoth

Liam Hughes, 24, of Robson Street, Everton, was sentenced to 14 years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A Drugs (cocaine and heroin); conspiracy to supply Class B drugs (cannabis and conspiracy to possess/convert/acquire criminal property.

His Encrochat handle was Bleakmoth

19. Mark Dumbell - BullMouth

Mark Dumbell, 30, of Warrington Road, Prescot, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, cannabis and ketamine.

His Encrochat handle was Bullmouth

20. Michael Burns - MillionDolla

Michael Burns, 39, of Plymyard Avenue, Eastham, Wirral, was sentenced to 12 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs.

His encrochat handle was Milliondolla

21. Michael Townsend - SacredMask

Michael Townsend,26, of Grant Road, Huyton was sentenced to six years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, February 9.

Townsend was convicted of conspiracy to supply cannabis and acquire/use/possess criminal property.

His encrochat handle was Sacredmask

22. Paul William Jones

Paul Jones, 43, of Lincombe Road, Roby, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply a Class A drug, possession of cannabis, possession of criminal property and conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the import of Class A drugs.

23. Philip Dearden - LoyalAnimal

Philip Dearden, 31, of Kent Road, St Helens, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

He used the Encrochat handle LoyalAnimal

24. Ryan Mulcahy - BassBelt

Ryan Mulcahy, 29, of Maregreen Road, Everton, was sentenced to six years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess/convert/acquire criminal property.

His Encrochat handle was Bassbelt

25. Samuel Lewis - KeySilver

Sam Lewis, 30, of Mardale Road, Huyton, was sentenced to 12 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, ketamine and cannabis between March 20 and June 3 last year..

His Encrochat handle was Keysilver.

26. Shaun Done - NuttyLeopard

Shaun Done, 25, of Beech Road, Huyton was sentenced to seven years, nine months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property.

His Encrochat handle was NuttyLeopard

27. Shaun Harrison - SandFerret

Shaun Harrison, 33, of South Street, Thatto Heath, was sentenced to 10 years eight months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis.

He used the Encrochat handles Scantbee and Sandferret

28. Stephen Taylor - VileCrusher

Stephen Taylor, 33 years, of Norlands Park, Widnes, was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court for 12 years eight months for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.

His Encrochat handle was Vilecrusher

29. Steven Nicholls - CubRing

Steven Nicholls, 41, of Ibbotson Lane, Aigburth, was sentenced to 16 years and eight months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit arsons with intent, conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply heroin, and transferring criminal property.

His Encrochat handle was Cubring.

30. Steven Strachan - FastSilver

Steven Strachan, 49, of School Lane, Bidston, was sentenced to six years in prisoners.

Strachan was convicted of a conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

His encrochat name was Fastsilver.

31. Thomas Brabbins - CoastalSummer

Thomas Brabbins, 28, of Cherry Tree Road, Huyton (Merseyside Police)

Thomas Brabbins, 28, of Cherry Tree Road, Huyton, was sentenced to seven years six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and two counts of possession of criminal property and possession of cannabis.

His Encrochat handle was Coastalsummer

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