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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Neil Docking

Faces of 27 people jailed in Liverpool this week

This list includes 27 people locked up for crimes linked to Merseyside this past week.

Courts heard about a pair of thugs who shot each other with the same gun in a pub shootout captured on CCTV and a crook involved in grenade and ammunition plots.

A judge sentenced a gang who spread misery across the UK by exploiting drug addicts and using women to ferry cocaine and heroin inside them.

Armed robbers who left women and children terrified were locked up for their cowardly raids.

Disturbing cases included two paedophiles who each formed relationships with women, without telling them about their dark past.

And a judge had to sentence two brothers who laughed when they left a man for dead after a brutal stabbing.

Here is an overview of some of to have concluded this past week.

Laura Gibson

Laura Gibson targeted a vulnerable man in his own home and stole his money.

On more than one occasion, she stole cash and a bank card from a man at his house in Rodney Street, Birkenhead.

The 35-year-old, of Sidney Street, Birkenhead, was arrested and admitted carrying out three burglaries in October 2021.

Police said the victim was left "very distressed" by her despicable actions.

She was jailed for three years and two months.

Anthony Atherton

Anthony Atherton, 37, of Sapphire Road, Old Swan (Merseyside Police)

Starbucks staff were terrified after Anthony Atherton smashed his way through a drive-thru window with a hammer.

The thug, of Sapphire Road in Old Swan, turned up to the coffee shop on Edge Lane, smashed the window and climbed through it.

The 37-year-old then grabbed hold of two of the women workers and dragged them around by their clothing and hair.

He demanded access to the safe but the only person able to open it, the manager, escaped and ran for help.

Atherton, who fled empty-handed, at around 7am on October 17 last year, was later arrested and admitted attempted robbery.

He was jailed for four and a half years, with an extended three and a half years on licence.

Dean Hall

Dean Hall, 26, of Albert Road, Widnes (Widnes Weekly News)

Idiotic thief Dean Hall posted pictures of himself posing on stolen motorbikes on Instagram.

The 26-year-old, of Albert Road, Widnes, was shown sitting on a Ducati, Triumph Speed and SYM scooter, all of which had been pilfered in Runcorn.

Cheshire Police said the bikes in the social media snaps, posted from July 2021 to January 2022, were worth more than £25,000.

Officers linked the account to Hall and arrested him at his home on Friday, January 28 this year.

He admitted theft of a motor vehicle and two counts of handling stolen goods.

Hall was jailed for 52 weeks.

Craig Treverrow and David Gamble

Craig Treverrow and David Gamble laughed as they left a man for dead after a knife attack outside his own front door.

The brothers ran fled after attacking John Smith in Dingle, leaving him bleeding heavily, on February 27, 2019.

Treverrow was confronted shortly after the incident by Robert Hughes, a relative of the victim's partner, and said: "I have just done your man."

When questioned, the drink and drug fuelled yob pulled out a knife, became angry and lunged at the man's partner, then fled and hid until police arrived.

Gamble, who had repeatedly struck Mr Smith with a plank of wood before his brother knifed him three times in the back, later handed himself in.

Treverrow, 31, of Dovecot Place, Dovecot, admitted wounding and threatening with a bladed article. He was jailed for three years.

Gamble, 25, also of Dovecot Place, pleaded guilty to wounding. He was jailed for two years.

Alan Airey

Alan Airey, 37, of Halkyn Road, Chester (Merseyide Police)

Paedophile Alan Airey formed a relationship with a mum of two young children without telling her about his twisted past.

He met the woman via Facebook after his release in April last year, following a four and a half year sentence for child sexual assault and grooming.

The 37-year-old used a false surname and began staying over with the woman, her children and a young teenage girl, who also shared the Merseyside house.

Prosecutors said the woman was "shocked and concerned" to learn of his past, but Airey claimed she was visiting him in prison to bring in his underwear and they were still "in a relationship".

Airey, of Halkyn Road, Chester, admitted breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He was jailed for two years.

Kane Bennett's cocaine and heroin gang

A Liverpool-based drug gang inflicted misery across England with "no thought for the impact on others".

The most influential figures of the gang linked to a stash of deadly guns were handed jail sentences amid emotional scenes on February 18.

Police released their mugshots and those of other associated crooks after a four-day sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court concluded on February 21.

Kane Bennett, Christopher Scully, Phillip Ryder and Jamie Mac Thompson were locked up for their roles in the nationwide cocaine and heroin network.

Bennett sat at the top of the operation, overseeing Class A drug supply networks in Morecambe, Plymouth and Torquay.

Cocaine and heroin, some of which was supplied to Bennett by Thompson, was sent north and south under Bennett's guidance as he ran drugs 'lines' nicknamed Scouse Tom, Scouse JJ and Scouse T.

Couriers from Morecambe - working on the Scouse Tom line - would be supplied in West Derby Cemetery, while others ran illicit substances to the Scouse JJ and Scouse T lines on the south coast.

The downfall of Bennett's conspiracies was secured when, in April 2020, a farm on the outskirts of Kirkby was raided by police under Operation Casino II.

They recovered a sawn-off shotgun and a "sniper rifle" linked to Bennett by DNA, ammunition, and a pistol magazine forensically attributed to Thompson.

Bennett, 26, of Galemead, Norris Green, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and conspiring to possess firearms and ammunition. He was jailed for 14 years and four months.

Scully, 33, of Prestbury Road, Norris Green, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for nine years and four months.

Thompson, 30, of Berry Street, Liverpool, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and possession of ammunition without a certificate. He was jailed for nine and a half years.

Ryder, 40, of Quernmore Road, Kirkby, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for eight years and seven months.

Ricky Dewsbury, 42, of Prestbury Road, Norris Green, admitted assisting an organised crime group and was jailed for two years and three months.

Nicholas Begg, 22, of Alvanley Road, Kirkby, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was jailed for six years.

Edward Begg, 21, of Alvanley Road, Kirkby, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was jailed for six years and five months.

Luke Belger, 20, of Minstead Avenue, Kirkby, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was jailed for four years and eight months.

Alexander Porter

Alexander Porter, 42, of Bedford Road, Bootle (Liverpool Echo)

Alexander Porter hit a shop worker in the face before stealing £6,000 in cash.

The crook left an innocent member of staff with an eye injury when he targeted the News Factor Shop in Bootle on January 10 this year.

The 42-year-old raided the shop on The Esplanade then fled on a bike, but was arrested later that month after being identified by police.

Porter, of Bedford Road, Bootle, admitted robbery.

He was jailed for three years.

Francis Casey

Francis Casey told the mum of his 10-month-old daughter: "I'm coming to your house to burn it down with the baby in it."

The 30-year-old threatened to "smack in" the heads of his ex-girlfriend and their baby in vile voicemails.

The alcoholic blamed stalking her and sending abusive messages on a three-month drink and drugs bender.

But a judge said he was trying to "minimise" what he had done to his victim, who was left "petrified", in December and January.

Casey, of no fixed address, admitted stalking involving fear of violence and breaching a sentence of 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was jailed for 22 months.

Dean Joughin

Dean Joughin was caught stoned at the wheel but escaped from police after he was arrested.

The thug once gave another man permanent brain damage by kicking and stamping on his head.

Joughin, then 25 and from Netherton, was jailed for six years over that vicious street attack in 2009.

Police stopped a Volkswagen Passat, on Southport Road in Bootle, at around 8.15pm on Friday, October 15 last year.

Joughin tested positive for cannabis but fled while being cautioned, only to hand himself in four days later.

The 37-year-old, of Warbreck Avenue, Walton, admitted escaping from lawful custody.

He was jailed for four months.

Anthony Jones

Anthony Jones was involved in a crime gang's grenade and ammunition plots.

Jonathan Walsh, 33, headed a drug network which trafficked amphetamine and cannabis from the North West to the East Midlands.

But the Manchester-based OCG was brought down when armed police stopped a courier from handing Walsh a package in January 2019.

The courier confessed there was a hand grenade in his pocket and a gun and ammunition in his sleeve, shown in police bodycam footage.

In a coordinated strike day on October 16, 2019, the Gillmoss home of Jones - an associate of EncroChat user Walsh - was also raided.

The 40-year-old, of Parkview Road, was found guilty after a trial in June 2021 of conspiring to possess ammunition and to possess an explosive device.

He was jailed for 15 years, but that sentence could not be reported until this week - when Walsh and others were jailed - due to reporting restrictions.

Daniel Hayes and Sam Oultran

Daniel Hayes, 31, of Clifton Crescent, Frodsham, has been jailed for six years for carrying out three knifepoint robberies in three days. (Cheshire Police)

Daniel Hayes threatened a group of children as he brandished a knife at a terrified shop worker.

The 31-year-old first raided a Spar in Thomas Jones Way, Runcorn on the night of July 10 last year.

He then hit a Spar in Palacefields, Runcorn, the day after and a One Stop Shop in Chester Road in Helsby on July 12.

Hayes, of Clifton Crescent, Frodsham, was dropped off each time by Sam Oultran, 24, of Churchill Mansions, Runcorn, in a getaway car.

Sam Oultran, 24, of Churchill Mansions, Runcorn, was jailed for four years for his role as driver in three armed robberies. (Cheshire Police)

He would then approach the till, pull out a large kitchen knife from a bag and threaten staff to open the tills before making off with cash.

Outside he would jump in the Volkswagen Passat driven by Oultran.

It was at the Spar in Palacefields where he told a female cashier "put it all in the bag" then warned "just do it or you or the kids will get it".

Hayes admitted three counts of robbery and three counts of possessing a bladed article. He was jailed for six years.

Oultran admitted three counts of robbery and was jailed for four years.

John Bishop

John Bishop hid his dark past from a new girlfriend by lying about what he had been to prison for.

The paedophile moved into her Wirral home and gave her one of two mobile phones he had bought.

The 47-year-old was present when she had family over for Christmas, including a nine-year-old child.

Bishop told his new partner he was under supervision after being jailed for assaulting a police officer.

The woman only found out the truth when police realised Bishop wasn't living at his registered address in Waterpark Road, Prenton.

He admitted four counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failing to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

Bishop was jailed for two years and eight months.

Patrick Childs

Patrick Childs fled to Spain after trying to avoid the police by jumping into the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

The 24-year-old drug dealer finally appeared for sentence for offences dating back to 2018 and 2019.

They included doing "wheelies" on a pavement while riding an electric bike on Scotland Road at 30mph.

He "smirked and rode off at speed", and was later seen dealing drugs from the bike to known addicts.

He was caught after ditching the bike and diving into the canal, where he dumped plastic bags with traces of cocaine and heroin inside.

Having been released under investigation and on bail - despite £27,000 of cocaine being found at his home - Childs disappeared abroad, only to be extradited.

Childs, of Lyle Street, Kirkdale, admitted failing to provide a specimen, dangerous driving, possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to supply and breach of bail.

He was jailed for six and a half years.

Adrian Tomcik

Adrian Tomcik, 29, of Windle Hall Drive, St Helens (Merseyside Police)

Domestic abuser Adrian Tomcik threatened to kill his girlfriend.

The 29-year-old, from St Helens, admitted two counts of assault and two counts of making threats to kill.

The charges related to offences carried out by the bully at his home in Windle Hall Drive on January 20 and 21 this year.

He was jailed for four years.

Peter Ginley

A member of a large criminal network worked to flood the streets with Class A and B drugs.

Peter Ginley tried to escape detection by using an encrypted EncroChat phone and the handle "CrabCookie".

Cash and cocaine worth £120,000 was seized after he and another crook were both arrested in July 2020.

Ginley, 33, could be linked to the handle "CrabCookie" through personal details he shared in messages.

He was arrested at his home in Heath Road, Garston, where police found more than £13,200 in cash and the box for his Encro device.

Ginley was found guilty of conspiring to supply cocaine, heroin, cannabis and ketamine after a trial.

He was jailed for seven and a half years.

Richard Green

Richard Green raped a young child during horrifying and depraved sexual abuse.

The 35-year-old, from the Tuebrook area, was accused of a string of sexual offences.

But he denied any wrongdoing, forcing his victim to go through the ordeal of a trial.

Green was found guilty by a jury of 15 counts including rape of a child under 13, assault by penetration, sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was jailed for 19 years.

James Freeman and Alan Roberts

Shocking CCTV footage showed James Freeman and Alan Roberts shooting each other with the same gun.

Freeman armed himself with a loaded pistol and hunted down Roberts outside the Old Bank Pub in Page Moss.

The two men wrestled over the weapon in a doorway, when it went off, with two bullet fragments striking Roberts in the groin.

But the "victim" grabbed the gun and with Freeman now "overpowered" and lying on the floor being kicked by two locals, opened fire in "retribution".

He fired twice into Freeman's chest at "point blank range", leaving his attacker with two bullets embedded in his chest at the Princess Drive pub.

Roberts, 30, was cleared of attempted murder, but a jury rejected his claim that he acted in self-defence against an "assassin", on Monday, May 17 last year.

He was convicted of wounding with intent and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life - charges Freeman, 24, admitted before the trial began.

Freeman, of Pennard Avenue, Huyton, who was already a convicted gun crook, was jailed for 14 and a half years, with an extended four years on licence.

Roberts, from Page Moss but now of Heyes Street, Everton, was jailed for 12 years.

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