In a case that reads like an international crime thriller, a man from Birmingham has been sentenced to three decades behind bars for masterminding a murder-for-hire plot from his prison cell. The target was a man living in Armenia, thousands of miles away.
Nazaret Aghakanyan, 32, was already serving time at HMP Birmingham for a separate offence when he meticulously planned the assassination. Using a smuggled mobile phone, he communicated with associates abroad, arranging the contract killing and negotiating the price for the gruesome hit.
A Plot Hatched Behind Bars
The shocking details emerged during the trial at Birmingham Crown Court. The court heard how Aghakanyan used encrypted messaging apps on the illicit device to coordinate the plot, demonstrating a brazen disregard for authority and the law even while incarcerated.
His plans, however, were ultimately foiled. The intended victim, whose identity remains protected, was never harmed. The precise motives behind the targeted killing have not been fully disclosed, but the case highlights the alarming reach of organised crime networks operating across international borders.
Justice Served with a Maximum Sentence
Judge Melbourne Inman KC handed down the life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years, reflecting the severity and premeditated nature of the crime. He emphasised that Aghakanyan would not be eligible for parole before serving the full three-decade term.
This case underscores a growing concern for UK authorities: the ability of criminals to continue directing serious illegal activities from within the prison system, particularly through the use of contraband technology.
