Twelve criminals from Merseyside were imprisoned over the past seven days, receiving a combined total of 89 years and three months in prison. Among those jailed were a teenage gun courier, a Liverpool City Council worker who used his position to assist a cannabis farm gang, and a dad who tried to murder his wife with a saucepan.
Teenage gun courier jailed
Miks Uzore, 18, of Bainton Road in Kirkby, admitted "I f***ed my whole life up" after police caught him stashing a gun and drugs in a garden. Uzore sped away from an undercover officer on an e-bike, with their attention drawn to him by a strong smell of cannabis. A drone was used to track his movements, capturing the moment he ran into a garden and attempted to dispose of the firearm and a large quantity of heroin and cocaine he was couriering. He later claimed he had merely found these items, telling PCs: "I f***ed up. I really don't know what it is."
Uzore pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of ammunition without a certificate, possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and possession of cannabis. Wearing a white t-shirt in the dock, he was handed five years in a young offenders' institute.
Cash discovery leads to drug dealer
A criminal operation came falling down after police found more than £100,000 in cash in a carrier bag. The discovery was made after officers stopped a "nervous and agitated" Paul Howard in a black Volkswagen T-Cross in Liverpool city centre. Investigations established he had been involved in the transfer, storage and counting of £734,175 in cash over two months on behalf of numerous organised crime groups, including an operation relating to Luke Holleron, whose fingerprint was found on the bag of money.
Cash, cocaine and cannabis, foreign currency and designer goods were subsequently seized from Holleron's home. Enquiries revealed "extensive evidence" of his involvement in the supply of class A and B drugs. Holleron pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis and three counts of possession of criminal property. He was jailed for a total of nine years and four months. Howard admitted conspiracy to possess criminal property and was handed a two-year imprisonment suspended for two years with 300 hours unpaid work and a probation requirement.
Council worker aided cannabis gang
Damning WhatsApp messages revealed how a Liverpool City Council employee used his position to help a drugs gang. Alan Hunter, 57, of Holly Road, Haydock, supplied false permits normally issued by councils to authorise public highway works, helping members of an organised criminal group make roadworks connected to their cannabis farms look legitimate. Hunter, who received payments of more than £20,000, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to make items used in fraud, misconduct in a public office and using criminal property.
"Facilitator" Luke Whenary, 35, of Inglby Grove, Stockton on Tees, was jailed for three years and four months after admitting conspiracy to abstract electricity and encouraging or assisting an offence. William Grant, 59, of Dwerryhouse Lane, Liverpool, who used his groundwork company to provide a legitimate front for excavation work, was locked up for three years and four months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to abstract electricity, encouraging or assisting an offence and conspiracy to steal. Cable joiner Liam Shelbourne, 46, of Cathedral Road, Liverpool, received two years and three months after admitting conspiracy to abstract electricity.
Blackmailer and attempted murderer sentenced
Adam Joyce was jailed after blackmailing a tradesman and fixating on a woman who worked at a restaurant. Joyce demanded refunds from workmen he had never employed, but two still transferred him money following a series of threats, with the fake customer having even said he would rape members of their families. He also rang emergency services requesting ambulances be dispatched to their homes. Other reports saw Joyce persistently call a restaurant to ask if a female staff member was in work. He pleaded guilty to nine blackmail offences and one of stalking involving serious alarm or distress and was sentenced to four years.
Louden Chagona, 50, of Snaefell Avenue in Tuebrook, pretended to kill himself in a sick "prank" before battering his wife with a pot after falsely accusing her of being unfaithful. Chagona repeatedly hit his now former partner Abigail Chinorwadza around the head with the utensil before dousing her with boiling water in the kitchen of their home. The 50-year-old had only been in the country a matter of weeks after bringing his daughter to the UK from Zimbabwe to join his wife. After finding out she wanted to leave him because of his persistent fake accusations, he threatened to take his own life before trying to kill his partner. Chagona admitted attempted murder and was sentenced to 18 years in prison, of which he will serve two thirds before becoming eligible for release, and handed an extended licence period of five years.
Shooting gang members jailed
Kenneth Quadrio, 23, fled a shooting in a car which deliberately rammed pursuing armed police officers, telling a stunned member of the public "one more Volvo off the road lad". Quadrio told the onlooker to "tell the streets Kenny Quad" was responsible for the damage as he fled into the overgrowth near the canal by Aintree racecourse. He was one of five men, also including 33-year-old Adam Bigley, 42-year-old Joseph Kidd, 21-year-old Lee Nimbley and 18-year-old Lucas Maguire, who escaped the scene of the firearms discharge in a stolen Toyota Hilux. The pickup truck had earlier been seen pursuing a Sur-Ron motorbike around Litherland's Pendle estate before unleashing shots towards the rider, who managed to escape unharmed.
Bigley, of Portland Place, Everton, was convicted of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, conspiracy to possess ammunition, dangerous driving, driving without a licence and using a motor vehicle without third party insurance. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison with four years on extended licence. Kidd, also of Portland Place in Everton, was convicted of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon and conspiracy to possess ammunition, and was handed 11 years. Nimbley, of Stanley Park Avenue South, Anfield, was convicted of the same charges and also jailed for 11 years. Quadrio, of no fixed abode, was convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and given four years. Maguire was similarly convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and handed a 32-month imprisonment suspended for two years.
