A killer who was caught confessing on a Ring doorbell camera, a former footballer and a thug who smashed a Kopparberg bottle over a man's head in the pub were among the criminals locked up
From left; Alan Atkinson, Ashley Owens and Thomas Stanley
From left; Alan Atkinson, Ashley Owens and Thomas Stanley
A drug dealer who gave the orders for a house fire which killed an elderly couple, a murderer who was caught confessing on a Ring doorbell camera moments after a dad was shot dead and a former footballer were among the Merseyside criminals jailed over the past month. Also locked up were members of a round the clock drug supply gang who offered a special deal on cocaine to mark the release of a Liverpool FC star's kidnapped dad.
Meanwhile, heard that a thug smashed a bottle of Kopparberg cider over a man's head in a pub after being corrected over his geographical knowledge. Here are the faces of 56 defendants from our region who were imprisoned during February.
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Francis Ventre
A grandad who played a leading role in a massive drugs business was rumbled thanks to messages about his former football club and grandson's birthday. Francis Ventre used the handle "Dill Forest" on encrypted communications platform EncroChat to organise the buying and selling of drugs on a huge commercial scale.
The 62-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and ketamine and conspiracy to transfer criminal property. He was jailed for nine years.
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2. ### Denis Puka
Denis Puka has been jailed for 56 months
Denis Puka has been jailed for 56 months
3. ### Erisjan Laska
Erisjan Laska has been jailed for 56 months
Erisjan Laska has been jailed for 56 months
4. ### Carl Spencer
A "cunning and manipulative" thug repeatedly breached court orders banning him from contacting his ex after he battered her with a kettle. Carl Spencer ignored a restraining order and moved back in with his former girlfriend after suffering a head injury but quickly returned to his old ways.
The victim had invited the 52-year-old defendant to move in with her after he was said to have fallen down the stairs at his shared accommodation and suffered a bleed on the brain. While this arrangement was said to have been "civil at first", he later became "aggressive and argumentative" before "things escalated to violence."
Spencer admitted harassment by breaching a restraining order and common assault. He was jailed for two years and three months.
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5. ### Matthew Cooney
A depraved stalker threatened to kidnap a 13-year-old girl, kill her, chop her up and send her body parts to her mum. Matthew Cooney developed a twisted obsession with the child after he saw her getting off a bus.
The 31-year-old then drove from his home in Manchester to the Wirral area in the hopes of meeting the girl, who he did not know, after seeing pictures of her on social media. Having followed her in his car, he approached her, told her she was "fit" and asked for her phone number.
While the girl walked away and tried to hide behind some bushes, she was pursued by Cooney, who "would not leave her alone" until she complied with his request. He quickly began stalking her, terrifying her with a barrage of violent and threatening messages.
Cooney later fled to the USA and remained abroad for nearly 10 years until he returned to the UK in November last year after his estranged wife and two children died in a car crash. He admitted stalking and was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
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6. ### Harley Ransom
A thug smashed a bottle of Kopparberg cider over a man's head in a pub after being corrected over his geographical knowledge. Harley Ransom "exploded into violence" following a "trivial comment" regarding a football match, having apparently mistaken Amsterdam for a country.
His victim was left with a permanent facial scar and requiring eight stitches as a result of the wholly unprovoked attack. Having previously repeatedly stabbed a man in a flat, supporters of Ransom were left in tears as he was sent back to prison.
Ransom admitted wounding with intent. Appearing in the dock wearing a black coat over a black Hoodrich t-shirt, he nodded as he was jailed for four years and handed a seven-year restraining order before a woman in a pink fur coat left the public gallery in tears.
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7. ### Matthew Crehan
A drug dealer was arrested at an airport as he arrived home from Thailand before admitting that he "did it for the money". Matthew Crehan operated a hotline trading in cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and nitrous oxide with his "busy" phone, on one occasion, being involved in nearly 800 calls and texts in the space of only one hour as sales were thrashed out.
This marked a return to drug trafficking within a matter of months of him being detained by police and found with more than £10,000 in cash. A judge told him that he had "had an important and significant role in the peddling of misery".
Crehan pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and nitrous oxide. Appearing via video link to HMP Stoke Heath, he was handed three years behind bars.
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8. ### Michael Boardman
A street brawl turned bloody when a teenager pulled a knife on another man. Michael Boardman shouted to his son Mikey Dever for help as he scuffled with his neighbour in the middle of the street.
The 19-year-old then armed himself with a kitchen knife and stabbed his victim once in the chest. He pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possession of a bladed article in a public place and was handed a nine-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months.
Boardman admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was jailed for six months. However, he was expected to be released imminently due to the time he has spent behind bars on remand since the incident.
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9. ### Alan Atkinson
A man brandished a knife at his former girlfriend's new partner and told him "that's my bird, no one else's". Alan Atkinson burst into the house where his ex was staying with her boyfriend and threatened to stab them both when police knocked on the door.
The 50-year-old admitted possession of a bladed article in a public place and witness intimidation. He was jailed for 27 months.
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10. ### James Burns
A man has been jailed after breaching a criminal behaviour order. James Burns breached the terms of his CBO by riding a motorbike without the owner's permission.
The 21-year-old was also said to not have the appropriate licence, insurance or protective headgear. He was was further found to be in the company of a known associate which he was prohibited from doing under the terms of the order.
Burns pleaded guilty to breaching a criminal behaviour order. He was sentenced to nine months in prison.
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11. ### Paul Lockyer, James Neary, Paul McArdle, Christopher Horrocks, Stephen Lynch, Michelle Higgins, Lee Nugent and Julie McCafferty
Members of a 24/7 drugs supply gang offered a special deal on cocaine to mark the release of a Liverpool FC footballer's kidnapped dad. The promotional message was sent to more than 9,000 customers on their "graft phone" after the father of then Reds forward Luis Diaz was freed in November 2023 following 13 days being held in captivity by Colombian guerrillas.
This text read: "3 for £75 for the next hour to celebrate Luis Diaz dad getting released in the Colombian jungle."
The organised crime group's lead Paul Lockyer was known as "the big fella" and used the profits of his lucrative operation to fund a luxury lifestyle, including designer jewellery and clothing, expensive cars and holidays aboard private yachts. The 42-year-old was jailed for 11 years and four months.
His right hand man James Neary, 57, received nine years and nine months. Paul McArdle, a key operator of the graft phone and coordinator of cocaine deliveries, was locked up for 10 years and one month.
Christopher Horrocks and Stephen Lynch managed deals and re-stocking, with the former having also ensured that the phone was constantly topped up and active. They were sentenced to six years and eight years respectively.
Michelle Higgins stored large amounts of cocaine at her home, where orders would be prepared. She was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Lee Nugent acted as a dealer while his partner Julie McCafferty helped to run the phone, prepare drugs and direct couriers. They were imprisoned for eight and six years respectively.
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12. ### Taylor McArthur
Police raided a drug dealer's waterfront flat and discovered cannabis worth up to £80,000 in packaging branded with Everton FC's crest. Taylor McArthur kept tens of thousands of pounds in cash locked away inside a vault within the Royal Liver Building as he reaped the rewards of his involvement in crime over the course of more than two years.
Known as "Billy the Kid", his lucrative scheme to supply cocaine, ketamine and cannabis was ultimately ensnared by an undercover police operation This led to the discovery of his DNA on a lethal firearm which was recovered from inside an industrial unit alongside a Skorpion submachine gun.
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13. ### Kerry Grice
Kerry Grice was meanwhile left in tears in court after police discovered a haul of drugs worth more than £200,000 in her home. The nan was described as a "warehouseperson" involved in the storage of ketamine and cannabis on behalf of Taylor McArthur, known as "Billy the Kid".
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14. ### Bradley Roberts
A unit in an industrial estate rented by Bradley Roberts was also raided, leading to with officers seizing a Skorpion submachine gun, two semi-automatic pistols and a quantity of ammunition, as well as a stash of 301kg of ketamine. One of the weapons, a Ceonic branded handgun, was found to contain McArthur's DNA on the end of the barrel, the muzzle and foresight.
McArthur admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and possession of a prohibited weapon. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a grey tracksuit top, he was jailed for 10 years and 10 months.
Grice pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis and possession of ketamine with intent to supply. Wearing a black blazer over a black dress in the dock, she was locked up for three years and nine months.
Mee admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis. Also appearing remotely from Walton prison while wearing a grey polo shirt, he was given three years behind bars.
Roberts pleaded guilty to possession of ketamine with intent to supply. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey jacket over a grey t-shirt, he was handed 27 months.
Clapping and cheers were heard in the public gallery as McArthur learned his sentence, with some of his supporters seen to be in tears. Mee meanwhile sat with his hands held together in front of his face as he was jailed, with his half brother having placed an arm around his shoulder.
One woman then shouted "love you son" as they left the video link booth. Roberts meanwhile nodded to his family and mouthed "ok" as he was handed an immediate prison term, with his mum being left in tears.
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