A man appeared in court today in connection with a botched shooting and a series of drug supply charges.
Jamie Rothwell is accused of being behind a hit in which an innocent man was shot after he opened the door to a bogus pizza delivery man.
The 34-year-old appeared via video-link at Liverpool Crown Court today and is accused of 11 separate charges.
Rothwell is alleged to have ordered the hit on Poplars Avenue in Warrington, on April 24, 2020, when David Barnes was shot in his leg.
The 55-year-old was left with life-changing injuries, the victim unwittingly caught up in a plot against his step-son and convicted heroin dealer Liam Byrne Jnr.
The Salford man is also accused of arranging a plan to shoot Charlie Cullen, at an address on Sinclair Avenue, Longford, on the same night.
He is the dad of gun and drug criminals Anthony and Leon Cullen, the former serving a 27 year sentence and his brother set to be jailed after hiding out for years in the United Arab Emirates.
Charlie Cullen was not injured after a plot to target him got the wrong house and no attack took place.
Rothwell was set to enter a plea today, but that was postponed until June when he is set to be fully arraigned.
He is charged with conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, between March 2020, and May 4, 2020, to Charlie Cullen.
Rothwell is also charged with conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm with intent between March 2020, and May 4, 2020, with Alan Tobin, to Liam Byrne Jnr.
He is alleged to have conspired to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, between the same dates, with Tobin, Aaron Bretherton, Lewis Fitzpatrick and Anthony Morris for the shooting in Warrington.
Another charge relates to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Miles Smethurst.
Rothwell is charged with conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life, between the same dates, conspiring with James Andrew Close, Craig Allen Makinson, Callum Morris, Terrence McDonagh, and others.
He is charged with conspiring to possess ammunition to endanger life, and conspiring to supply Class A drugs with Makinson, Callum Morris, Connor Scott Davies, Andrew Ackers, Andrew Hart, John Westwood, John Moore, Kyle Charlton, Jordan Edge and others.
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Rothwell is also charged with supply diamorphine, commonly known as heroin, supplying ketamine, and supplying cannabis, between May 2019 and June 2020.
A final eleventh charge is for possession of criminal property.
The investigations relate to one in Warrington and one in Greater Manchester.
Rothwell, of Grindon Avenue, Salford, who wore a white-T-shirt on the video-link, was remanded in custody.
A temporary trial date was listed for November in case of a not guilty plea in June.
Any trial could last up to six weeks.
