Uncle and nephew confess roles in Bolton 'chop shops'

The family run gang handled stolen vans from around Bolton, Bury and beyond before cutting them up and selling their parts on the black market.

Now leading “family” member, 60-year-old Thomas Jackson and his 32-year-old nephew Josh Jackson have both admitted to their parts in the conspiracy.

Opening the trial last week, prosecutor Henry Blackshaw said: “This is an effectively integrated operation.”

He added: “So this is a family business involved in the theft and handling of these vehicles.”

The trial took place at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

The Jacksons had been arrested after an extensive police operation into a this “family business”.

Mr Blackshaw said: “The police investigation arises out of the discovery of three so-called ‘chop shops.’”

He added: “When I say business, this is what it was, a family business albeit an illegal one unlike the other family businesses we may be familiar with.”

The gang had begun by targeting Ford Transit vans before moving on to Mercedes Sprinter vans later on in 2020.

They set up their first “chop shop”, where they cut up the stolen vans, at Chequerbent Works in Westhoughton from at least September 2019 until police discovered it in March 2020.

After this discovery, the family gang then set up a second chop shop in Farnworth in September 2020, which was again discovered by police in November that same year.

Mr Blackshaw said that then gang then opened a third chop shop at Halliwell Mill in Halliwell in November 2021, that police caught up with in February 2021.

Mr Blackshaw told the jury that the Jacksons had been making “quite tidy sums of money” from their crimes.

He said: “Of course for anyone having their car nicked in the dead of night is extremely upsetting.”

But he said this was especially devastating to small business people who relied on their vans for their livelihoods.

During the trial, the court heard Thomas Jackson, of St Gregory’s Close, Farnworth, was a “senior member of the family”.

Josh Jackson, of Wildman Lane, Farnworth, had been involved in running yards where stolen vans were cut up.

Another member of the family, 25-year-old Teejay Jackson, of Bradford Road, Farnworth pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle before the start of the trial.

ALSO READ: Pair confess roles in vehicle 'chop shop' conspiracy as trial underway

ALSO READ: 'Family business' ran Bolton 'chop shops', court hears

ALSO READ: Five held in £500k Bolton chop shop and money laundering probe

At the end of the first day the trial last week 27-year-old Bradley Jackson, of Barratt Avenue, Kearsley, pleaded guilty to money laundering.

Mr Blackshaw said: “He was the person who fronted up the purchases of the land that was to be the second chop shop, this Farnworth chop shop.”

Brought back before the court at the start of this week Thomas and Josh Jackson both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

Thomas, Josh, Bradley and Teejay Jackson will all be brought back before Bolton Crown Court on Wednesday February 21 to learn their fate.