These are the faces of 48 Merseyside criminals who were jailed during October
A drug dealer who shot a man in the head, a member of the Huyton Firm and a carer who killed her former patient after being caught stealing from her were among the Merseyside criminals jailed this month. Also locked up was a man who went to support his brother in court but ended up in the dock himself.
Meanwhile, Liverpool Crown Court heard that a teenager was caught with a loaded firearm in a JD Sports bag. Here are the faces of 48 criminals from our region who were imprisoned during October.
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Sonny Daley
A teenager's promising life came crashing down around him when police officers found him hiding in a bush and discovered a loaded firearm in his JD Sports bag. Sonny Daley was caught with the converted blank firing gun when he was out dealing heroin and crack cocaine in a park.
He was allegedly put to work in the drugs trade after racking up a cannabis debt. A judge told the former junior boxer and community volunteer that it was a "terrible shame" that he had "fallen so far".
Daley admitted possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of ammunition without a certificate, possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and possession of criminal property. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse wearing a blue Under Armour t-shirt, he was jailed for five years and four months.
Craig Pryor
A motorcyclist was left with life-changing injuries after he was hit by a dangerous driver. Craig Pryor attempted to overtake another vehicle in his Mercedes when he hit a black Yamaha motorbike travelling in the opposite direction.
He was subsequently found to have traces of cocaine and cannabis in his system. The 46-year-old admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for four years.
John Reynolds
A sex offender left a fellow inmate with a broken cheekbone and in need of surgery after attacking him behind bars. John Reynolds subjected his victim to a series of "sucker punches" without warning while the two men were serving time at Walton prison.
The serial flasher was then freed from jail, but began drinking two bottles of vodka a day "with a side of cocaine". A judge compared him to a "runaway mine train".
Reynolds admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and failing to comply with notification requirements. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for two years.
Damien Rigby
A man has been jailed for a series of thefts at bowling alleys which caused more than £4,000 in damages. Damien Rigby pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and four counts of criminal damage and was sentenced to six months.
It came after the 38-year-old attended Superbowl UK in Golden Square Shopping Centre, Warrington, on three separate occasions, damaging and stealing from arcade machines during opening hours, just metres away from members of the public visiting the establishment. The first incident came on May 19 this year, when a total of £273 was stolen from two arcade machines after damage was caused to them and cash was stolen from the cash box inside.
Two months later, on 15 July, Rigby entered the same bowling alley and was captured on CCTV using a screwdriver to tamper with an arcade machine and empty money into his pockets. On this occasion, he stole a further £309.50.
Anthony Farrell and Christopher Fleming
Two men attempted to smuggle drugs into prison by shaking hands but were caught by an attentive guard. Anthony Farrell tried to sneak heroin and crack into Walton prison while paying a visit to inmate Christopher Fleming.
He has now been handed jail sentences totalling more than 27 years since the turn of the millennium. His visitor was meanwhile found with further illicit substances and hundreds of pounds in cash stashed in his sock and bag.
Farrell, who appeared in court via video link to HMP Liverpool, admitted two charges of conveying a prohibited article into a prison, being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and possession of cannabis. Fleming, appearing remotely from HMP Berwyn, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine. Both were jailed for three years each.
Martin Ward
A thug booked a one-way flight to Europe after becoming embroiled in an acid attack but was arrested as he boarded the plane. Martin Ward was part of a gang of men who hunted down their victim before hitting him with a car, squirting ammonia over him from a water bottle and repeatedly striking him with a baseball bat.
He chased after the other man and handed his own son the weapon while shouting "give it to him". But the target of their shocking assault later filmed a video in which he taunted his attackers, posing topless and bragging "there's not a mark on me" before adding: "Good one lads, you done a good job."
Ward admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. Appearing in the dock wearing a navy blue Under Armour tracksuit top, he was jailed for 15 months and handed a seven-year restraining order.
Beth Tate
A hooded burglar who stormed an elderly man's house and brandished a knife as he sat helpless in his living room was unmasked as his former carer. Beth Tate broke into the 80-year-old's home two days after she lost her job due to turning up under the influence of drugs.
But, before the 21-year-old could make off with his wallet, she was "spooked" by the arrival of an Amazon delivery driver and ran away as her victim called the police. She was jailed for five years and eight months.
David Finn
A thug "acted the hard man" outside a pub but quickly regretted it. David Finn hurled a glass bottle towards police officers as violent scenes erupted on County Road in Walton following the fatal stabbings of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar in Southport in July.
He was captured on CCTV footage shortly before 8.30pm throwing a bottle towards police at the scene before retreating to the Royal Oak pub, speaking to a child on the street outside and then putting on a face mask. He was arrested at the same public house nearly two months later, at which stage he told officers "all of this because I acted the hard man and threw a bottle".
Finn admitted violent disorder. Appearing in the dock two days before his 38th birthday, he nodded to a woman in the public gallery and said "you alright?" as he was led to the cells after being jailed for 22 months.
Jake Joseph, Kevin Underwood and Nicholas Mooney
A man went to support his brother in court but ended up in the dock himself. Jake Joseph sat in the public gallery as he watched his younger sibling being sent down for his part in violent scenes which erupted in Southport following the fatal stabbings of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar.
However, an eagle-eyed police officer who was also present in the courtroom last week recognised him too as being present during the riot. His thuggish actions saw him jump on top of a carrier van and hurl bricks and concrete slabs at PCs.
Joseph admitted violent disorder. Appearing in the dock wearing a blue Nike tracksuit top, he was jailed for 34 months.
Appearing alongside him in the dock on Friday was Kevin Underwood, who whipped off his t-shirt and hurled a bin bag as his night of shame was captured on a TikTok video. The grandad pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was sentenced to two years and two months.
Nicholas Mooney meanwhile jumped on top of a police van and ripped off the windscreen wiper. He admitted the same offence and was locked up for 30 months.
Edward Jarvis
An EncroChat heavyweight instrumental in the operation of the notorious Huyton Firm played an "integral" role in a menacing blackmail plot. Edward Jarvis a key figure in the organised crime group led by Vincent Coggins, was involved in trafficking huge quantities of class A drugs worth millions of pounds.
The 59-year-old helped to orchestrate the gang’s supply of large consignments of cocaine and heroin to mid-level dealers across Merseyside and the rest of the country. Coggins' men were involved in the supply of a total of 150kg of cocaine and 215kg of heroin during the early months of 2020.
Along with his boss and co-conspirators Paul Woodford and Michael Earle, Jarvis also hatched a violent vendetta against a number of individuals who they suspected had robbed one of the gang’s stash houses and made off with over £1m of cocaine. However the gang's plans, made over EncroChat, were monitored by police officers after the encrypted messaging platform was hacked in April 2020 by European law enforcement.
Jarvis was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to commit blackmail. He was jailed for 25 years.
Shay Walker
A drug dealer who shot a man in the head but was cleared of murder has been jailed. Shay Walker was acquitted of murdering Peter Hale - who died aged 50 on February 4 this year, four days after suffering a single gunshot wound inside his own home on Haslingden Close in Old Swan - following a trial.
The 26-year-old defendant was said to have told his victim "I have brought this for yous, you c**ts" as he produced a pistol and shot him dead over a £500 drug debt after the deceased and his sibling had apparently smoked crack cocaine which they had been given to sell. He admitted being the gunman, but claimed that he was "joking" and "didn't think the gun was loaded."
Walker was unanimously found not guilty of murder by a jury of six men and six women, as well as the lesser count of manslaughter and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, following six hours and three minutes of deliberations. The convicted drug dealer had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
Mr Justice Freedman, who presided over Walker's trial, imprisoned him for seven years and one month. This comprised of five years and four months for the firearms offences and 21 months for breaching a suspended sentence order imposed in July 2023 for possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.
Jordan Foster and Joshua Bednarek
A gang locked another man in a hotel room and attacked him, breaking his eye socket and one of his teeth. Jordan Foster, Joshua Bednarek and Callum Higgins had encountered their victim on a night out and invited him back to their hotel before battering him and stealing his bank card and phone.
All three men pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and theft, with Foster pleading guilty to a further count of battery. He was sentenced to 35 months in prison, Bednarek was jailed for 32 months in prison and Higgins was handed a two-year imprisonment suspended for 18 months.
James O'Keefe and Kerry Russell
A Liverpool gang used vulnerable teenagers to sell drugs in Cheshire, West Mercia and Scotland. James O’Keefe controlled multiple drug lines from his prison cell at HMP Risley, roping in children to carry out risky drug-running operations on his behalf.
Kerry Russell and Ruby O’Keefe were also involved in the far-reaching drug network and the exploitation of children. All three pleaded guilty to modern day slavery offences and conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
James O'Keefe also pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class B drugs and possession of a prohibited item in a prison. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Russell was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. Ruby O’Keefe was sentenced to an eight months imprisonment suspended for a year.
Martin Taylor
A man who was caught throwing "missiles" at police has been jailed. Martin Taylor was imprisoned for two years and four months for his involvement in violent scenes in Southport in July.
Mark Nolan and Darren Herlihy
Two criminals who sold class A drugs and firearms have been jailed following a National Crime Agency investigation. Mark Nolan, 55, and Darren Herlihy, 38, operated on the encrypted communications platform EncroChat before it was taken down in 2020.
Nolan, who used the handles "RobustBronze" and "MasterCastle" was sentenced to 20 years at Liverpool Crown Court. Herlihy, who used the handle "JerryCoke" was jailed for 12 years.
Nolan acted as an agent and broker for another user, selling firearms on his behalf. He purchased a Tec-9 automatic pistol with between 200 and 400 rounds of ammunition, a Star 9 pistol with 50 rounds of ammunition and a Walther PPK with 50 rounds of ammunition then sold the weapons to his co-defendant.
Herlihy, who lived on a barge in Burscough, then supplied the guns onwards to other criminals. He also conspired to supply 2kg of heroin and 136kg of cannabis, while Nolan was involved in deals to supply at least 22.5kg of cocaine, 57kg of cannabis and 3kg of heroin.
Harris Vinten
A man has been jailed after his dog attacked a three-year-old girl and left her with serious facial injuries. Harris Vinten's pit bull attacked the girl outside the Market Tavern Pub in Kirkby.
The incident left the girl with significant facial injuries that required treatment at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The 32-year-old owner was arrested at the scene and subsequently pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control and caused injury.
Vinten was locked up for 16 months. He was also banned from owning dogs for four years.
Jayne Hill
A carer who hit her 90-year-old patient over the head with a metal flask before fatally suffocating her with a pillow has been jailed for life. Jayne Hill sat in her car smoking cigarettes outside Myra Thompson's home on Bolde Way in Spital, Wirral, as she waited for the pensioner's bedroom light to go out.
Then, under the cover of darkness, the 52-year-old entered the address and brutally murdered the elderly woman. It came after the killer, of Norwich Drive in Upton, had been caught red-handed stealing cash from the OAP, having previously pinched necklaces and a gold ring from other service users whom she had been entrusted to provide care for.
Hill, who wore a white bubble coat over a turquoise top and sported dyed red hair, previously admitted murder and four counts of theft and sat with her head bowed in the dock throughout today's hearing. She showed no reaction as she has handed a life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22-and-a-half years.
Carl Murphy
A priest called a drug dealer a "man of humanity and kindness" but a judge disagreed. Carl Murphy trafficked huge quantities of cocaine and handled hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash while hiding behind the pseudonym "WinterBarber" on encrypted communications platform EncroChat.
Murphy admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse wearing glasses and a black suit jacket over a white shirt and a tie, he was jailed for 10-and-a-half years.
Sentencing, Judge Ian Harris said: "[Your priest] described you as a man of humanity and kindness. Supplying drugs at the level you did is certainly not humane and kind. It was wholly selfish and driven by money."
Sasha Ball and Brandon McAllister
Members of the "Scouse Baz" county lines drug dealing ring hid £10,000 worth of cocaine inside an Easter egg box. Officers arrested Sasha Ball and Dylan Jode when they stopped a car on the motorway and seized the egg box and four mobile phones.
A search carried out at Ball’s home revealed further items linked to the supply of drugs, including a notebook containing names, weights and values. Detectives were able to identify Brandon McAllister as the controller operation and arrested him at his address in Rock Ferry.
Analysis of mobile phone data showed numerous trips between Merseyside and Cornwall and the sending of messages discussing money and drugs. Burner phones also showed hundreds of messages offering cocaine to users.
Jode was sentenced to a two-year imprisonment suspended for two years. Ball was jailed for four years and eight months and McAllister was locked up for five years.
Shannon and Ben Gibson
A dad ranted that “real criminals were being released from prison” after he and his son were arrested over their involvement in rioting in Southport. Shannon and Ben Gibson hurled bricks at police officers and engaged in racist chanting during the widespread disorder in the summer.
The latter was jailed for 32 months. His dad was meanwhile sentenced to 28 months, with neither showing any reaction as they were led to the cells.
John Gill
A fraudster scammed two supporters out of "significant amounts of money" by selling fake tickets to them outside Anfield Stadium. John Gill duped the fans outside Anfield Stadium ahead of Liverpool's game with Wolverhampton Wanderers in May.
He pleaded guilty to fraud. The 50-year-old was sentenced to 17 weeks in prison and issued a fine.
Neil Bason
A convicted drink driver who walked free from court was hauled back into the dock after attacking his on-off girlfriend. Neil Bason had been watching television with the woman when he snatched her mobile phone and accused her of cheating on him.
The woman tried to take her phone back but was grabbed by the 38-year-old, causing bruises to her arms. A struggle broke out but the woman was eventually able to flee his property and return to her own home, although he then followed her and attempted to force his way inside while accusing her of "sleeping with her cousin".
Bason pleaded guilty to assault, criminal damage and breaching a suspended sentence order. He was jailed for 25 weeks.
Filmon Tesfamariam
A man was forced to flee his home covered in blood only moments after he had been watching TV with a friend who suddenly turned violent. Homeless Filmon Tesfamariam had been kindly allowed into his victim's flat but snapped when the other male refused to lend him a duvet and pillow.
He then punched the homeowner and hurled objects including a glass candle holder at him, striking him on the head, as he begged for the assault to stop. Police later followed a trail of blood to find the casualty with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.
Tesfamariam, who was assisted in court by an interpreter, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey prison issue tracksuit, he was jailed for two-and-a-half years and handed a 10-year restraining order.
Lawrence Howarth
A man who threw missiles at police in Southport became the 73rd person to be sentenced in connection with the violence. Lawrence Howarth was identified as having hurled objects at officers and at a police vehicle during the riot with the 33-year-old, of Carnoustie Close in Manchester, being sentenced to two years and two months in prison.
Shaun Carrington
A man who ran a social media account to sell drugs to children has been jailed for three years. Shaun Carrington was convicted of being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.
An investigation into the 35-year-old's activities began when a child was hospitalised after using a cannabis vape sold to them over Snapchat. The child later made a full recovery.
Jordan Scott-Michael
A man who raped a woman in a Liverpool city centre hotel has been jailed. Jordan Scott-Michael was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.
It came after a woman in her 30s who was visiting the city left McDonald's on Church Street. Her attacker then followed her and began talking to her before they went to a hotel, where he committed the sexual offences.
Scott-Michael pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order. He was also given an extended five years on licence and handed an indefinite restraining order and a lifelong SHPO.
Peter Mulligan
A man found with indecent images of children and animals on multiple devices has been jailed. Peter Mulligan was put behind bars for 12 months after pleading guilty to various offences after Merseyside Police executed a search warrant at his home and discovered his stash of sick pictures.
Karl Marshall
A man used AI to create hundreds of computer generated indecent images of children and shared them online. Karl Marshall used the faces of real women and children without their knowledge to create digitally altered pornographic images, known as "deep fakes".
An investigation discovered that he had made 266 indecent pseudo-images of children using AI technology. The pervert pleaded guilty to multiple sex offences, including voyeurism and was jailed for two years and two months.
Shaun Kent
The boss of a notorious crime group hatched a plot to build up a stash of guns in an attempt to secure a lighter jail sentence. Kinahan gang chief Thomas Kavanagh was already behind bars when he decided to orchestrate a conspiracy to gather "as many weapons as possible" from fellow criminals before stashing them away.
The 57-year-old roped in his brother-in-law Liam Byrne and associate Shaun Kent, from Liverpool, to help. The three then buried the weapons before revealing their location to police, hoping to trick them into believing his assistance was "genuine" to earn a reduced sentence in a separate multi-million pound drug smuggling case.
They later pleaded guilty to offences involving the illegal possession of weapons ammunition. Kavanagh and Kent also admitted conspiring to obstruct justice.
Byrne, who fled to Majorca after the events, was jailed for five years while Kent was handed a six-year prison sentence at the Old Bailey - although he is expected to be released from prison imminently due to the amount of time he has already served on remand. Kavanagh will serve his six-year sentence consecutive to a separate 21-year term.
Nicholas Hughes
A prolific thief broke into several luxury spa and gyms to steal money and valuable items from customers' lockers. Nicholas Hughes took more than £23,000 worth of their goods as they used leisure facilities and then defrauded them out of more than £18,000.
One of the sites the 51-year-old targeted was the Municipal Hotel in Liverpool city centre. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.
Aras Magedi
A man used a Liverpool One display as a missile to throw at police. Aras Magedi was captured on CCTV throwing multiple missiles at officers during rioting in the city centre.
He subsequently fled the scene. The 24-year-old later pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was jailed for nine months.
Stephanie McGuire and Michael Abbey
A couple have been jailed after they admitted dealing class A drugs. Stephanie McGuire and Michael Abbey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and were locked up for 40 and 33 months respectively.
They were identified as the controllers of a drugs line which sent out flare messages advertising their wares for sale on a daily basis. It came after police executed a search warrant at their address and recovered items including a diary containing contact details.
Darren Barr
A vile predator pretended to come to the aid of women in distress but instead sexually assaulted them. One of Darren Barr's victims had accidentally locked herself out of her house after returning home from a party when he targeted her.
Five years later, he struck again - this time subjecting a suicidal woman to a "nightmare ordeal" after promising her that she could wait for a taxi in the supposed safety of his home. The pervert shook his head as he was locked up for his sickening crimes.
Barr was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault and intentional strangulation in relation to the second incident, having admitted a further charge of sexual assault concerning this attack and another two offences of sexual assault concerning his first victim. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for nine years.
Catherine Livesey
A mum stayed up all night drinking vodka before stabbing her boyfriend in the neck after being "pushed to her limits". Catherine Livesey struck out at her partner with the knife in self-defence during a furious row in the early hours, having been subjected to a barrage of racist abuse.
The care worker was said to have armed herself with the weapon after he raised her fists and "lunged at her", having previously experienced domestic violence at his hands. She then called the police on herself after he fled the scene with injuries including a punctured lung.
Livesey admitted wounding without intent. She was handed an eight month prison sentence, meaning that she will be released from custody imminently due to the time she has served on remand.
Edward Walsh
A prison inmate was arrested on the day he was due to be freed from jail after stealing boxes of goods from a Next van. Several of the items Edward Walsh pinched from the parked vehicle were then listed for sale on second hand website Vinted.
The 45-year-old admitted theft from a motor vehicle and breaching a suspended sentence order. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was locked up for a further eight months.
Li Chean
A suspected thief sprayed a can of insect repellent into a Tesco security guard's face. Li Chean attacked the member of staff during a crime spree which also saw jump out of an upstairs window of a mobile phone shop, having been locked inside the premises when he was caught stealing.
Police officers then happened across him in the street as they were investigating yet another of his offences and arrested him. He missed the birth of his twin children as a result.
Chean admitted two counts of burglary, attempted burglary, assault, criminal damage, theft from a motor vehicle, fraud and handling stolen goods. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was jailed for two years and five months.
Alexander Kerr
A pervert spent years secretly filming women and children in states of undress. Alexander Kerr surreptitiously videoed young girls playing in their swimming costumes and changing out of their school uniforms.
He also spied on a woman in her lingerie through her window while she undressed in the privacy of her flat. His sick crimes continued even after the police came knocking at his door and discovered his vile stash of hundreds of indecent images of children.
Kerr admitted two counts of voyeurism, two charges of taking indecent images of children, two offences of possession of indecent images, nine of making indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children and possession of extreme pornographic images. He showed no reaction as he was jailed for 32 months, handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and told to sign the sex offenders' register for life.
Ali Alduhlaimi
A paedophile spent nearly 10 years on the run outside of the UK after fleeing to Yemen when his crimes first came to light. But Ali Alduhlaimi has now finally been brought to justice, having returned to this country when he wrongly "thought that the coast was clear".
It came after the vile sex offender subjected a girl to a sickening campaign of rape and abuse when she was aged as young as four. He remains remorseless for his actions however and sat emotionless in the dock as he was handed a huge prison sentence.
Alduhlaimi was convicted of two counts of rape, sexual assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to watch sexual activity by a jury following a trial. Assisted by an interpreter in court, he showed no emotion and sat with his arms folded as he was jailed for 21 years and handed an additional year on licence.
David Dunn
A heroin and cocaine trafficker plotted to source an AK47 and shoot his enemies over a stolen stash of drugs. David Dunn utilised the handle "TrunkCrocodile" on encrypted communications platform EncroChat in order to trade wholesale quantities of illicit class A and B substances.
He was said to have operated his own "boutique" business, which saw hundreds of thousands of pounds in dirty cash change hands. But, years down the line, he was arrested on the continent as his secret past finally caught up with him.
Dunn admitted conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and ketamine, conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and possession of a prohibited weapon. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for 20 years.