Salford drugs gang boss who organised shooting from Spain jailed

A British drugs kingpin who organised a shooting from his hideout in Spain and traded a “vast arsenal of weapons” has been jailed.

Jamie Rothwell, who was tracked down by police to an apartment in Barcelona, pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to a string of drugs and firearms offences.

Judge John Potter said 38-year-old Rothwell – feared by members of his organised crime gang – issued orders and expected them to be obeyed.

Rothwell, from Salford in Greater Manchester, was sentenced to 43 years.

He was arrested after being identified as the man behind the “livelong” handle on the supposedly uncrackable EncroChat phone network.

Judge Potter said criminals who used the network “mistakenly believed that encryption on EncroChat would never be comprised”.

He added: “Having access to a EncroChat phone was a matter of trust within the criminal underworld.

“The phones in each case cost approximately £11,000 and were deliberately used by criminals to avoid detection by the authorities.”

However, the judge said “trust in their EncroChat phones was misplaced – they thought they could act with impunity but they were wrong”.

French police hacked into EncroChat’s servers between 30 March 2020 and 24 May 2020.

It gave detectives real-time access to messages between thousands of organised criminals, who were oblivious to the fact they had been compromised.

The intercepted messages were then shared with British police forces.

Judge Potter said the messages “illustrated organised criminal activity taking place on a very significant scale” and the value of drugs involved ran into millions of pounds.

The court heard how Rothwell had also organised the shooting of a man in Warrington, Cheshire, due to an ongoing feud.

On 22 April 2020, Rothwell and another man discussed Rothwell’s wish to find out where Liam Byrne and his father, Liam Byrne Sr, lived.

Rothwell was sent these details along with photographs of the men and images of their addresses from a satellite mapping application.

In one message, Rothwell stated: “I’m gonna do all them soon”, before discussing the use of a specific van as a getaway vehicle.

Two days later, that van was caught on CCTV parking up near one of the houses in Warrington.

David Barnes, stepfather of Mr Byrne Jr, was shot in the leg on the doorstep of his home by a gunman posing as a pizza delivery driver.

Addressing Rothwell, Judge Potter said: “That man, at your command, discharged the firearm three times.”

In other intercepted messages, Rothwell discussed the callous nature of his crimes, saying: “When you have fire in your heart you don’t stop… you get addicted, you lose everyone, you turn cold, no emotions.”

In another, Rothwell bragged of how he was “sending constant” consignments of Class A and B drugs and guns, before adding: “I sent 300 straps [firearms] home, I got RPG, M16, AKs, Glock Machines.”

Judge Potter said Rothwell was at “the top of the organisation”.

He said: “You have lived much of your life as a professional criminal involved in serious organised crime.

“The offences you are to be sentenced on graphically illustrated your willingness to follow this path and cause loss and misery to others as you do so.”

Following the infiltration of EncroChat, Rothwell was tracked down to Barcelona in 2020 before being extradited back to the UK.

He fled to the Catalan city and was living in an apartment with panoramic views over Barcelona after police in the UK handed him a “threat to life” notice.

On Wednesday, defence barrister Chris Henley, KC, said Rothwell had vowed to turn his life around after living in “isolation, loneliness and fear”.

He was said to be “tired of the life he has lived”.

Mr Henley said Rothwell had spent five years thinking about his life since his arrest and now felt feelings of “remorse and regret”, including for “breaking the hearts” of his family.

The court heard Rothwell had previously pleaded not guilty to the offences and had gone on trial in July 2024.

His trial had to be halted and the jury discharged after he was stabbed in a “ferocious attack” in prison.

In February, Rothwell pleaded guilty to conspiracies to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracies to supply cocaine and ketamine, and two counts of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent.

Det Ch Insp Nick Henderson, from Cheshire Police, said: “Rothwell was a well-established organised criminal who believed his connections would allow him to commit extreme acts of violence whilst remaining under the radar.

“While he lapped up the Spanish sun, his associates carried out his orders and searched the streets of Warrington for those Rothwell had intended to harm.”

Rothwell was sentenced to18 years for the drugs offences, and 25 years for the firearms charges, to be served consecutively.

The firearms term includes 21 years in prison and an extra four years on licence.

Nine other men were sentenced alongside Rothwell, who appeared in court for the hearing via video link from prison.

Det Sgt Colin Shackleton said the men “believed they were above the law” and having access to their messages “gave us real insight into their arrogant, egotistical, and apathetic nature”.

The other defendants were:

• Andrew Ackers, 39, of Benjamin Road, Wigan, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and possessing criminal property. He was sentenced to 10 years and two months
• Scott Davies, 36, of Courier Place, Wigan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin. He was sentenced to eight and a half years
• Craig Makinson, 50, of Springpool, Winstanley, was convicted of conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply cocaine, and conspiracy to supply criminal property. He was sentenced to 38 years
• John Moore, 38, of Kendal Drive, pleaded guilty to participating in activities of an organised crime group and was convicted of conspiracy to possess criminal property. He was given a sentence of 14 months but will be released immediately due to time served
• James Close, 44, of Henry Street, Leigh, was convicted of conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply cocaine and possess criminal property. He was sentenced to 36 years
• Callum Morris, 33, of Carr Bank Crescent, Atherton, was convicted of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to supply cocaine and to possess criminal property. He was sentenced to 38 years
• Terence McDonagh, 34, of Thorncroft Avenue, Astley, was convicted of conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to eight years
• Zak Rourke, 35, of Deakins Mill Way Egerton, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply cocaine, ketamine and to possess criminal property. He was sentenced to 18 years
• John Stankus, 70, of Wigan Street, Platt Bridge, Wigan, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and amphetamine. He was sentenced to six years