Drug dealer Joshua Hayes was caught making the comments after police bugged his Mercedes
Kayley Wilson(Image: Merseyside Police)
A woman was accused of “ratting” out a drug dealer who threatened to “smash her head in” Joshua Hayes, who called himself “the Boss Man”, and his co-conspirators were brought down by a secret bug which police planted in his Mercedes.
As well as running a lucrative cocaine supply line, the organised crime group also kept Skorpion submachine guns hidden inside a hole within the walls of a flat. They even arranged for a plasterer to carry out work on the apartment in order to ensure that the deadly weapons could be hidden away from the police.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Merseyside Police initially searched two flats on Condron Road North in Litherland on July 13 last year, believing that firearms were being kept inside. While they did not discover any such weapons at this stage, detectives then reviewed materials which had been obtained “as a result of a device within Mr Hayes’ car”.
Nicola Daley, prosecuting, described how this related to conversations between the 34-year-old and co-defendants Anthony Bennett, James Harrison and Georgie Medway which had taken place inside the Mercedes three weeks earlier on June 21 2024. This saw them discuss enlisting a plaster in order to ensure that the firearms were kept “proper safe” in a “hole in the wall”.
This led to officers returning to one of the flats, the address of drug user Michael Caldwell, and drilling through a newly plastered and redecorated area. They then recovered three separate bags wrapped inside a tea towel, each containing a firearm, from inside a “void” in the walls.
The weapons in question were found to be two Czech-manufactured Skorpion submachine guns and a self-loading pistol. Several expanding bullets, designed to explode upon hitting a surface in order to cause maximum damage, were also recovered from alongside the automatic firearms.
Caldwell’s DNA was recovered from the trigger guard one of the Skorpions and the rear hand grip of the other. Medway’s DNA was similarly recovered from the latter while the former contained the DNA of teenager Thomas Ball, who was also forensically linked to the pistol.
The seizure came against the background of a “large scale street dealing operation” which was being run by Hayes, who wore a blue Asics tracksuit in the dock and sported short dark hair. Ms Daley detailed how this saw him supply class A drugs to a “lot of different customers”, with the listening device having also recorded him discussing how he estimated the phone which he used to ply his trade to be worth in the region of £200,000.
Hayes was meanwhile heard to tell his associates that he “supplied about a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine every five days”, the line having been active “between midday and 2 o’clock in the morning every day”. He was also heard describing himself to others as “the Boss Man”.
Ms Daley added: “Overall, the crown would submit that, over the period of January up to the 15th of July, there was a supply of approximately 9kg of cocaine. The wholesale value of that amount would likely be in the region of £252,000 to £324,000, with the potential street supply being worth about £360,000 to £900,000.”
The court heard of one occasion when Hayes went away on holiday to Tenerife on June 12, leaving Stephen Sutter and John Newton in charge of his business interests. But the latter was then arrested on June 20 while being carried as a passenger in a Ford Focus driven by Adam Dean on Altcar Road in Formby, being found in possession of cash totalling £259.90.
Hayes returned to the UK in the early hours of the same day, being recorded saying to Bennett in a phone conversation at this stage: “The worker’s been nicked with the phone lad. John Newts been driving round, but I can’t get hold of ’em bro.
“I’m gonna smash them up lad. What do you reckon I should do lad? Wait till he gets out and see if he’s still got the phone? I’ve been to his. There’s no answer lad, there’s no answer off both of them lad. F***ing joke this lad. Can’t even go on holiday for a f***ing week bro.”
Hayes thereafter visit O2 in Aintree and purchased a new phone and SIM card in order to ensure that he could continue his activities without disruption. Following Dean’s subsequent release from custody, he was heard telling him during another phone call: “You daft b****rd, you’re driving around with my phone. It’s worth 200 quid lad.”
Shortly afterwards, Hayes was captured speaking to Harrison about co-defendant Kayley Wilson, apparently believing that she had reported Dean and Newton to the police, telling him: “I’ll smash her head in, I swear. I’m not in the mood today. I will stab someone or I will slash the face right off them. I have had enough.”
Wilson later pleaded her innocence in this regard to Hayes in further phone contact the same afternoon. However, he told her: “You ratted that other phone, and now you’re trying to rat us cause you’ve been f***ed off.”
Ms Daley said of this: “It may have been that, by that stage, Kayley Wilson was not involved and was not being used. The belief of Joshua Hayes was she was trying to have an effect on his business, either by reporting to the pol or working with others in a similar business around the area.”
It came after Hayes was found to have laundered tens of thousands of pounds of his proceeds through the Monzo and Revolut bank accounts of Wilson, who wore a pink jacket over a black t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “perfectly imperfect” during a hearing last week, and left others, including Aaron O’Brien, in charge of his graft phone for periods of time when he was holidaying abroad in locations including Turkey. Sutter’s home address was meanwhile used for “bagging up” drugs for onwards supply.
The audio bug also captured Bennett discussing a “lab” for the production of crack cocaine at the second flat on Condron Road North. This was the home address of Matthew Ball, who was referred to as “G in the Wags” and “G Wags” by his co-defendants.
Searches of this apartment subsequently revealed bags containing 50g and 27g of cocaine, 18 knotted plastic packages amounting to nearly a kilogram of 85 per cent pure crack cocaine and a total of 132g of heroin. Quantities of an adulterant substance, a knuckle duster and other drug paraphernalia were also recovered from the property, which was unoccupied at the time of the raid.
Harrison was meanwhile evidenced to have offered “various different strains of high quality cannabis” for sale via Instagram and Telegram. During the month prior to his arrest, on July 15 last year, alone, he was shown to have offered to supply “in excess of 41kg” to his customers.
Experts estimated that, over the period of six months, this tally would have increased to “very large quantities” of around 248kg. The 28-year-old was also said to have travelled to Manchester alongside Hayes and Bennett on one occasion in order to collect “two large carrier bags”, which were suspected to contain cannabis.
Matthew Ball, of Willow Way in Croxteth, admitted supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine and possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply. The 28-year-old was imprisoned for nine years and two months by Judge Gary Woodhall on Friday.
Matthew Ball(Image: Merseyside Police)
Thomas Ball, of Sedburn Road in Kirkby, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possession prohibited firearms, supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine and being concerned in the supply of ketamine and cannabis. The 18-year-old was handed four years in a young offenders’ institute.
Thomas Ball(Image: Merseyside Police)
Bennett, of Oriel Crescent in Kirkdale, admitted conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possession ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis and production of crack cocaine. The 31-year-old was locked up for 17 years and seven months.
Anthony Bennett(Image: Merseyside Police)
Caldwell, of Condron Road North in Litherland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate and conspiracy to possess prohibited ammunition. The 40-year-old was jailed for five years.
Michael Caldwell(Image: Merseyside Police)
Dean, of no fixed address, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. The 28-year-old was sentenced to four years and eight months.
Adam Dean(Image: Merseyside Police)
Harrison, of Akenside Street in Bootle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate and conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis. He was given 15-and-a-half years behind bars.
James Harrison(Image: Merseyside Police)
Hayes, of Ryefield Lane in Litherland, admitted conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunitions, possession of a firearm when prohibited for life, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. He was imprisoned for 20 years.
Joshua Hayes(Image: Merseyside Police)
Medway, of Rosalind Way in Bootle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition for sale or transfer, two counts of conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis and production of crack cocaine. The 21-year-old was handed 12 years.
Georgie Medway(Image: Merseyside Police)
Newton, of Rydal Avenue in Crosby, admitted conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs. The 33-year-old received a total of four years.
John Newton(Image: Merseyside Police)
O’Brien, aged 24 and of Sonning Avenue in Litherland, and 33-year-old Wilson, of Eden Vale in Netherton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. They were locked up for six years and eight months and four years and 10 months respectively.
Aaron O’Brien(Image: Merseyside Police)
Sutter, of Osborne Road in Litherland, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to conceal criminal property and possession of cannabis. The 33-year-old was jailed for six years and eight months.
Stephen Sutter(Image: Merseyside Police)
Merseyside Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said following the hearing: “I am in no doubt that communities across Merseyside are safer now that these individuals are behind bars. Members of this OCG possessed weapons, such as the Skorpion, that have been used to kill innocent people in Merseyside.
“Victims have died after being caught in the crossfire of disputes between groups like this who depend on violence, threats and intimidation to maintain their trade in illegal drugs. So many lives have been torn apart by OCGs, but we continue to work on a daily basis to rid our communities of them, bring offenders like these to justice and remove the extremely dangerous weapons and illicit drugs they possess from circulation.
Kayley Wilson(Image: Merseyside Police)
“I want to take this opportunity to thank all officers involved in this investigation. Their dedication and commitment has led to this day, and it gives me great satisfaction to see their hard work pay off.
“Their enquiries established that these criminals were in possession of dangerous weapons, significant quantities of drugs and large sums of illicit cash. Officers on the ground then acted with courage and speed to detain the offenders in their homes, in cars and on the street
“Twelve people will now serve prison sentences as a consequence of their actions. Officers and staff at Merseyside Police come to work every day to protect our communities and results such as this show how worthwhile those efforts are. If you want to help us in these efforts, please give us any information you have on OCG activity and we will do everything we can to protect our communities.”