Bolton and Warrington guns linked to drug plot, court told

The five men are on trial at Minshull Street Crown Court accused of running a “relentless” hard drugs conspiracy, buying guns and in one of their cases plotting a murder using the notorious Enchrochat messaging service.

The jury heard how on April 17 2020, the gang arranged to pick up a shotgun from the Deakins Mill area of Egerton just days after picking up an AK-47 submachine gun near Warrington.

Prosecutor Jaime Harrison KC said: “They were of course confident in the security of Enchrochat for their serious criminality.

“Confidence that was misplaced as it turned out.”

The trial is taking place at Minshull Street Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Hamilton told the jury four of the five men used bizarre nicknames to cloak their identities when dealing in drugs and guns over Enchrochat, a messaging service often used by criminals.

He said that 40-year-old James Close of Henly Street, Leigh used “Ballsniffer” and later “Sickblane”, while 37-year-old Jamie Rothwell, of Grindon Avenue, Salford went by “Live-Long.”

Mr Hamilton said “Top-Shag” or “Dr Shaggard” was actually Craig Makinson, 49 of Springpool, Winstanley while Callum Morris, 32 of Carr Bank Crescent, Atherton went by “Keyhole.”

A fifth man, Terence McDonagh, 33 of Forncroft Avenue, Astley, is also on trial but according to Mr Hamilton did not use Enchrochat or have a similar nickname.

Mr Hamilton had already told the court that Morris had also was also known by the nickname “wrestler” which had helped link him to a “fight in Bolton” in February 2020.

He said that on a “busy day” on April 15 2020 Morris had asked a North Eastern based criminal known as “Master-Passer” to deliver drugs to Hag Fold in Atherton.

He said that Morris, or “Keyhole”, had told him to give the password “wrestler.”

That same day, “Ballsniffer”, “Live-Long”, “Top-Shag” and “Keyhole” had also discussed buying an AK-47.

According to Mr Hamilton, Rothwell had asked for Makinson, or “Top-Shag” to pay for the submachine gun, saying he would pay him back later.

He said that Close, or “Ballsniffer”, then asked Morris, or “Keyhole”, to pick the AK47 up and “put it to bed.”

Mr Hamilton said that CCTV footage showed a Black Audi arriving at a Royal British Legion in Thelwall, on the outskirts of Warrington, just where Rothwell had told Morris it would.

Not long after Rothwell, or “Live-Long”, put Morris, or “Keyhole”, in touch with another criminal on Echrochat known as “Purple-Hawk”, Mr Hamilton said.

He told the jury that on April 17, 2020, Morris told Purple-Hawk he wanted to pick up a shotgun and was given a postcode taking him to the Deakins Mill area of Egerton.

The court heard that messages between the two said: “Mill building mate, the mill apartment or something, apartment Deakins Mill or summat, yeah mate.”

Mr Hamilton said that Morris later told “Purple-Hawk” that his driver was on the scene and that Rothwell then told Morris to “test” the shotgun.

He said that the four men they continued to discuss high level drug deals.

Mr Hamilton said: “The business is relentless for this team, they are talking about the delivery of £10,000s of money and instantly they are talking about the next deal.”

At one point, he said, “Live-Long” and “Ballsniffer” had even discussed picking 28kg of cocaine up off a boat in Southampton, which showed how far high up in the criminal chain they were.

Only days later on April 27, the prosecutor said, Morris, again using the "Keyhole" handle, entered into an agreement with an Enchrochat user named "Costaviper" to kill a man.

Mr Hamilton said that referring to the would-be victim Morris said: "If you want him gone, he's not waking up", to which "Costaviper" replied: "Yes I want him gone."

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He said that in early May of 2020 Morris was promising "Costaviper", by then using the handle "Elpapiiii" to "blast someone."

Mr Hamilton told the court the two men were making arrangements for "what is plainly intended to be a shooting" and that Morris had said he would be "like Rambo hid in his bin."

All five men deny conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life, while Morris also denies conspiracy to murder.

Close, Makinson, Morris and Rothwell deny conspiracy to supply cocaine while Makinson also denies counts of conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply amphetamines.

Close, Makinson and Morris deny conspiracy to possess criminal property while Rothwell denies four counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

Rothwell also denies conspiracy to supply heroin, conspiracy to supply ketamine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and possession of criminal property.

The trial before Judge Alan Conrad KC continues.