Description
This project exposes the harsh realities of organized crime across the UK, moving beyond sensational headlines to reveal the inner workings of Britain’s most notorious gangs. From the historical East End mobsters to the modern, tech-savvy street gangs, the narrative explores their evolution, territories, and methods. It uncovers the brutal codes of loyalty and violence, the multi-million-pound drug trafficking rings, and the ruthless individuals who have shaped the criminal landscape. Featuring in-depth interviews with former members, law enforcement officials, and victims, this project offers a gripping, unfiltered look at a hidden world where crime isn’t just a choice—it’s a way of life.
Keywords
True crime
British gangsters
UK gangs
Organized crime
Underworld
Gangland
Criminal subculture
Investigative documentary
London
Birmingham
Glasgow
Liverpool
Social history
Urban crime
Violence
Drug trafficking
Liverpool
Social history
Urban crime
Violence
Drug trafficking
Feuds
Turf wars
Law enforcement
For over two decades, the streets of Scotland have been a silent battleground in one of the UK’s most brutal and enduring criminal feuds. The war between the Daniels and the Lions. This isn’t just a rivalry. It’s a relentless, bloody saga born of betrayal and fueled by an insatiable thirst for revenge. To understand its depth, we must go back to the very beginning. Our story truly ignites in the early 2000s. The catalyst, a significant theft. Around the summer of 2001, a substantial stash of cocaine valued at an estimated 20,000 pounds vanished from a safe house in Glasgow’s Milton area. This wasn’t just any cocaine. It belonged to the Daniels crime family, and it was the Lions who were believed to have stolen and sold it. This act of blatant disrespect was the spark that lit the fuse. The Daniels response was swift, though initially unsuccessful. In September 2001, a botched attempt was made on Steven Lions outside a pub in Lamill, Glasgow. It was clear the war had begun. The early exchanges saw symbolic acts of defiance like the torching of the Churnside Center, a community hub linked to the Lions, and the trashing of its minibus. The violence escalated rapidly. In January 2003, Kevin Carroll, a key enforcer for the Daniels, was shot twice in the leg with a saunoff shotgun right outside his mother’s house in Milton. He survived, but it was a clear message. Just 11 days later, in a retaliatory strike, Johnny Lions, brother of the notorious Eddie Lions Senior, was shot outside his home. He famously survived, reportedly due to the bullet being stopped by his wallet. The stakes were getting higher. The mid200s marked a terrifying escalation in brutality. In April 2006, Kevin Carroll once again played a central role, shooting Eddie Lions Jr., son of Steven Lions, at his home in Cumberald. Again, remarkably, Lions Jr. survived. But Carol’s next move sent shock waves through the criminal underworld and beyond. In November 2006, in an act of profound disrespect and pure malice, Carol allegedly used a 4×4 and a tow rope to topple the headstone of Gary Lions, Eddie Lion’s senior son, who had died of leukemia years earlier. Catar Cemetery. This desecration of a grave was seen as an unprecedented low, confirming that no line would be left uncrossed. Just weeks later, in December 2006, Carol attempted to murder Eddie Lions Jr. for a second time. this time in Bellshill, Lannarchshire. Lions Jr. was injured as his car rolled over him and an associate was also shot, but both survived. The very next day, the feud exploded into outright murder. On December 6th, 2006, a blue Mazda pulled up outside Applero Motors in Lamill, a garage known to be linked to the Lions. Two masked gunmen emerged and opened fire. The result was devastating. 21-year-old Michael Lions, nephew of Eddie Lions, Senior, was murdered. Steven Lions and associate Robert Picket were also seriously injured. This brazen daylight execution in public marked a terrifying new chapter. Following the Applero Motors massacre, a chilling ransom note demanding £25,000 for the stolen drugs was sent to David Lions, further cementing the initial theft as the root cause. Justice in the eyes of the law eventually followed for some. In March to May 2008, Daniel Associates Raymond Anderson and James Macdonald were tried and convicted for the Applero Motors shooting. They received an initial Scottish record sentence of 35 years each, later reduced to 30 years on appeal. The message was clear. This was serious organized crime and the penalties would be severe. As we moved into the late 2000s and early 2010s, the war continued even as key figures were incarcerated. The year 2010 brought another seismic event. On January 13th, 2010, Kevin Gerbal Carroll, the very enforcer who had been at the heart of so many violent incidents, met his own brutal end. He was shot 13 times and killed in an Asda car park in Royston, Glasgow, while locked in the back seat of an Audi A3. The attack lasting a mere 25 seconds was a calculated execution. Ross Monigan was acquitted of his murder in 2012, but William Buff Peterson was later convicted. This marked a significant blow to the Daniel faction. In other news related to the Lions, in 2010, Paul Lions, son of David Lions, was jailed for the road rage killing of van driver Mark Fleman. A separate incident, but one that highlighted the criminal entanglements of the broader families. The mid2010s showed no sign of the few debating. In 2014, Ryan Chalmer’s, a gangster linked to the Daniel family, was shot in the legs in what was widely seen as a revenge attack. The power dynamics were shifting, but the violence persisted. In 2016, Eddie Lions Jr. and Ross Monigan found themselves involved in another street attack outside a bar in East Dunarture. Though the trial ultimately collapsed when alleged victims claimed no memory of the event, a testament to the fear and intimidation associated with these gangs. A significant moment occurred in 2016 with the death of Jaime Daniel, the very founder of the Daniel gang from cancer. His nephew, Steven Bonso Daniel, reportedly stepped up to lead the faction, ensuring the continuity of the feud. The violence even spread beyond Glasgow’s immediate vicinity. In 2017, Ross Monagan, who had been acquitted of Kevin Carroll’s murder, survived a shooting when he was wounded in the shoulder while dropping off his daughter at a primary school in Glasgow. This close call prompted him to flee to Spain, seeking refuge from the relentless pursuit. Tragically, the reach of this feud extended even to the world of entertainment. In 2019, the murder of train spotting two star Bradley Welsh in Edinburgh was tragically linked to this very gangland feud with hitman Shawn Orman later convicted of his murder. It how intertwined and farreaching the tentacles of this conflict had become. And the story devastatingly continues into the present. As recent as March 2025, we’ve seen reports of a sickening spate of alleged gangland violence, including shootings, firebombings, and assaults erupting across Glasgow and Edinburgh, indicating a chilling resurgence of the feud, proving its deeply entrenched nature. Then, a dramatic development on the international stage. Just over a month ago, on May 31st, 2025, the feud reached a brutal crescendo on the sunny shores of the coast of Delol. Eddie Lions Jr. and Ross Monahan, both prominent figures in the Lions faction, were shot dead by a masked gunman outside Monigan’s bar in Fuerola, Spain, after watching the UEFA Champions League final. Spanish police swiftly acted, later arresting Michael Riley in Liverpool, stating he is a Daniel Clan member and responsible for these double murders. This shocking event underscores the global reach and unrelenting nature of this feud. Beyond the direct violence, the Daniels v. Lions war has also revealed deeper international criminal connections with the Lions notably forging links with the notorious Kinahan organized crime group, a powerful Irish drug cartel. This highlights that these are not just local skirmishes, but parts of a complex and dangerous transnational criminal network. The Daniels v Lions gang war is more than just a series of incidents. It’s a grim narrative of power, revenge, and a cycle of violence that seems almost impossible to break. It serves as a stark reminder of the devastating human cost of organized crime in Scotland, a conflict that continues to define a dark chapter in the nation’s criminal history. Today, we delve into the dark and violent world of Robbie Lawler, an Irish criminal whose name became synonymous with gangland feuds and suspected murders. His story is a stark reminder of the brutal realities of organized crime. Robbie Lawler, originally from Dublin, became heavily involved in organized crime, extending his reach into county me and playing a significant role in the infamous Drogatada feud. He was well known to Guardi, the Irish police, for his involvement in serious and organized criminal activity. Lawler had a substantial criminal record with over 100 convictions and was released from prison in December 2019. Reports indicate that he had been warned by Guardy that his life was in danger even before he traveled to Belfast. One of the most chilling cases linked to Lawler is the murder of 17-year-old Keen Malddrey Woods in January 2020. This was a crime that shocked Ireland due to its extreme brutality. M already Wood’s body was dismembered with parts left in various locations, including a sports bag found in Kulok, North Dublin, and a burnt-out car in Drum Condra. The discovery of flip-flops in the sports bag was seen as a deliberate taunt, a warning to rivals as Lawler’s own flip-flops had been stolen in a mugging a month prior, an attack in which Keen MRy Woods was suspected to have been involved. The teenager’s torso was later found in Drogatada. Lawler was a prime suspect in ordering this horrific murder, which was believed to be a ruthless act of revenge. Court documents submitted in November 2022 by the Criminal Assets Bureau named Lawler as the gunman who shot Owen Maguire six times in a 2018 assassination attempt in Drogatada, leaving Maguire paralyzed. Lawler’s suspected involvement wasn’t limited to the Malddrey Woods case. He was also a suspect in the murders of Kenneth Finn and David Lynch among other unnamed killings. He was a gunman for hire and was at odds with a major Dublin criminal suspected of several murders including that of Alan Ryan. His criminal activities were deeply entwined with the Drogatada feud, a violent struggle for control over the illegal drug trade that has claimed multiple lives. The feud intensified with a series of tit fortat attacks including beatings, stabbings, shootings, pipe bomb attacks, and arson. Lawler’s involvement in the feud was solidified following the murder of Richie Carberry, Lawler’s friend and brother-in-law in November 2019. Lawler believed a North Dublin gangland figure was behind Carbury’s murder, not the Drogetta gang, as revenge for Ken Finn, who Lawler was suspected of killing in February 2018. The locations where some of Malreddi Wood’s body parts were discovered were in the same area where Finn was murdered, highlighting the interconnectedness of these brutal acts of violence. The net was closing in on Robbie Lawler. On April 4th, 2020, Lawler himself was fatally shot. The incident occurred around 11:50 a.m. outside a house on Etna Drive in Ardo, North Belfast. The PSNI and Gardioana believe he had traveled to Belfast just hours before his death, possibly to collect debts. His murder was described by police as brutal, carried out at close range in broad daylight. A white Volkswagen Sorco stolen from the Republic of Ireland was found burnt out nearby, believed to be connected to the killing. The investigation into Lawler’s murder revealed a complex plot. Court hearings have alleged that a three-man assassination squad scouted out Lawler’s movements before carrying out the contract killing. It has been alleged that a €50,000 cash payment was made to members of a Limmerch based gang for their role in luring Lawler to his death with the killing allegedly commissioned three weeks prior at a meeting in a Siggo hotel in December 2020. Two men, one from Derry and one from Belfast, were charged with Lawler’s murder and also with possession of a 9mm pistol with intent to endanger life. These men have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Robbie Lawler’s life was a cycle of violence marked by his alleged involvement in numerous murders and his significant role in gangland feuds. His death brought a violent end to a criminal career that left a trail of destruction and grief across Ireland. The investigations into the many crimes he was suspected of continued to unfold, shedding light on the intricate and often horrifying world of organized crime. In his sentencing of Jaime Rothwell, Judge John Potter delivered the following statement. In this case, I am to sentence 10 defendants. They are each to be sentenced in relation to a variety of offenses which came to light following two police investigations, operation drier and operation chairs, respectively. Other defendants have already been sentenced as a consequence of these investigations in the Crown Court, but not by me. The operations were instigated in part following the police in the United Kingdom receiving in 2020 evidence from investigating authorities in France and the Netherlands. This evidence illustrated that the authorities had been able to breach the encryption within specialized mobile phones known as Encroshot phones. The server for the Encroshot network was based in Northern France. The UK police received large quantities of digital material which had passed between these mobile phones in the form of text messages and images. The contents of this material illustrated organized criminal activity taking place on a very significant scale. The material revealed this activity between March 2020 and June 2020. The criminal activity discovered was being undertaken by the users of these phones known as handles with the assistance of others. On the Encroshot network, code names were given to handles in an attempt to conceal their true identities. Code names like live long or keyhole or sick plane were used. This did not stop the phone users being correctly identified from the material because on many occasions users in the mistaken belief that the encryption on their encroop phones would never be compromised proved willing to place identifying data on their mobile phones making it plain who the user of their phone was. Their trust in their encroach phones in this regard was misplaced. They thought they could act with impunity, but they were wrong. Once attribution of a phone was established by the police, the identity of those involved in the organized criminal activity became clear. Each of the defendants I am to sentence in this case were at differing levels involved in this criminal activity. The more senior amongst them within the organized crime group used the Enkroat phones. Others working for these senior members did not. Having access to an Encroch phone was a matter of trust within the criminal underworld. The phone in each case cost approximately £11,000 and they were deliberately used by criminals to avoid detection by the authorities, an aggravating feature of their offending. The criminal activity discovered within the digital material revealed the existence of already established conspiracies to possess firearms and ammunition on a large scale with intent to endanger the lives of others. The firearms and ammunition were often acquired from others before being either used or stored and then possibly sold on at a profit. The digital material showed that on specific occasions, unlawful agreements were made by some to cause specific individuals very serious harm with the use of acquired firearms. Acquired guns were discharged on at least one occasion, and one person was seriously injured. On another occasion, it was agreed by others involved in the firearms conspiracy that a man called Paul Cooper should be murdered by being shot, although in fact, he was never physically attacked. Also discovered within the digital material was evidence of established conspiracies to supply large quantities of different types of controlled drugs, including cocaine, heroin, and ketamine. The total quantities of these drugs agreed to be supplied to others within these conspiracies was on an industrial scale measured at least in hundreds of kilos during the time scale of the drugs conspiracies. The value of these drugs ran into millions of pounds. The drugs were usually acquired from others in bulk, several kilos of drugs at a time. Those others were either overseas or close to the point of importation of the drugs into the UK. The drugs were then sold on often in kilo blocks or part thereof and sometimes underwent an adulterating process to bulk them out and increase their value. They were usually sold onto other drug dealers, many of whom in turn were part of the Anrochet network. The drugs trade generated very large sums of cash amounting to several millions of pounds. Conspiracies to transfer and distribute this money between those involved coincided in time with the drugs conspiracies operating side by side. In the case of some conspirators, this led them to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, having benefited from the misery and harm caused to others, locked into the cycle of drug abuse, or indirectly affected by it. For example, victims of crimes that may have been committed by those desperate for money to fund their drug habit. Each of the defendants fall to be sentenced in this case on the basis of offending during the period of the relevant count on the indictment and not activity outside those dates. They must each be sentenced consistent with the role they undertook within the particular conspiracy concerned. An estimation as to the role a defendant took in a conspiracy is required given the nature of the evidence in this case. For example, in relation to the quantity of drugs a conspirator may have been directly involved in and the time during which he participated in the conspiracy. It is obvious from the digital material that dealing by some of the defendants in guns, ammunition, and drugs did not start on the first day that encroach data was obtained. where a defendant is to be sentenced within conspiracies to possess firearms and/or supplying drugs over a considerable period of time as opposed to on a single occasion. I view the period of time of this offending as an aggravating feature in their case because continuing dealing results in greater harm being caused. I also view as an aggravating feature that the supply of firearms and ammunition in this case was to other organized criminals heavily involved in trading in large quantities of class A drugs and other criminal activity. In assessing harm caused by these conspiracies, I am required to take into account not only the harm that was caused, but also that which the conspiracy concerned was intended to cause or might foreseeably have caused. I must come to a fair but realistic assessment of the overall scale of the conspiracy’s actual and intended operations. Each defendant is to be sentenced in relation to more than one count and it follows that the totality guidelines apply. The entirety of the offending behavior of each individual defendant will be reflected in the sentence imposed individually upon them. My ensuring that the sentence imposed is just and proportionate in all the circumstances of that individual offender and the offending he falls to be sentenced for. I shall impose concurrent and consecutive sentences where appropriate to reflect the different types of conspiracies and the nexus of offending between the offenses agreed to within them. Jamie Rothell, you are 38 years of age. You have previous convictions recorded against you which make worse the offenses you fall to be sentenced for today. I shall explain how this is the case when I consider aggravating features to be applied in your case. You are to be sentenced in relation to six offenses. Conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life. Conspiracy to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life. Conspiracy to supply cocaine. Conspiracy to inflict GBH with intent upon Liam Burnsner. Conspiracy to inflict GBH with intent upon Liam Burn Jer. Conspiracy to supply ketamine. You pleaded guilty to these offenses before me on the 5th February 2025. You had previously pleaded not guilty and a trial against you and some of your codefendants had started in July 2024. That trial had to be stopped and the jury discharged after you were stabbed and injured in custody during its course, meaning you were then not fit to stand trial. No responsibility lies with you for this exceptional turn of events. And in the circumstances, in my discretion, I am prepared to provide credit for plea to you as 15% notwithstanding the first trial started prior to any indication of any guilty pleas from you. Your role within the firearms, ammunition, and drugs conspiracies was a leading role. You were, the evidence I heard makes plain, at the top of the organization involved in this activity. Your business interests principally involved you buying and selling these items in great quantities. You used an incrochet phone. Your handle name was Lelong. You issued orders to others, and you expected them to be obeyed. I heard evidence from your co-acuse that they feared you. You obtained wealth by having access to millions of pounds of cash. You lived for this and other reasons for much of the time in Portugal or Spain where you had access to an apartment offering panoramic views of Barcelona. You circulated pictures of this apartment and the vista on your Encroshot phone. You arranged for the purchase and storage of automatic firearms and live ammunition, most notably at least one AK-47 machine gun and more than one shotgun with your co-acused. These firearms were acquired with compatible ammunition available to be used within them. You supervised the purchase and storage of these specific weapons, in particular with Morris and Close. The AK-47 was acquired on the 15th of April 2020. It was subsequently stored by Morris with the assistance of another co-acused, Mcdana. The digital material shows you personally having access to and marketing or selling a vast arsenal of weapons. In conversations with another handle called Tubby Turn, you discuss having sent 300 straps guns home and having access to machine guns and an anti-tank gun. See lines 841 to 846 in the SOE chart. At line 101, you tell Tubby Turn that you sell a lot of Glocks, id automatic pistols. At line 5934 in the S SOE chart, Tubby Turn sends to you a price list of weapons and ammunition available to you for purchase. And at line 8885, you send an image of an anti-tank gun to another handle called local bluff. A reasonable inference being that this is available for purchase from or via you. This is dealing in firearms on a sophisticated and significant scale and reflects high culpability on your part and on the part of others willing to assist you. Your willingness to use firearms you acquired to cause harm to others is evidenced by material from operation chairs and your guilty pleas to conspiring to inflict very serious injury upon Liam Burns Snore and his son Liam Burn Jr. in April 2020. You were in conflict with the burn family. On the night of the 24th April 2020, you sent a man pretending to deliver pizzas to the family address in Warrington. He was armed with a firearm. That man at your command discharged the firearm three times through the door of the address, causing injury not to either Liam Burns Snore or Ger, the intended targets, but to David Barnes, Liam Burn Jenner’s stepfather. Mr. Barnes suffered gunshot wounds to his leg. Your willingness to resort to violence to settle this and other disputes is also apparent within the evidence outlined in the S SOE chart. At lines 2732 to 2741, you discuss with another handle called defender the level of harm you were willing to inflict upon your enemies. In this instance, someone referred to as Leon Cullen and his associates. Your drug dealings were on an international level. You arranged for drugs to be sold and distributed throughout the UK and also in Ireland and in other parts of Europe. You maintained a bonded warehouse from where drugs could be distributed. A conservative estimate of the amount of class A drugs you were involved with in the period of the conspiracies according to the evidence I considered at trial would suggest you dealt in over 200 kilos of cocaine and 5 kilos of ketamine. You also dealt in heroin in bulk quantities. Valuation evidence places this quantity of cocaine alone being worth £7 million. A kilo of cocaine being sold at around 35,000 per kilo at the time of the offending. In this case, you were also involved in the transfer of just under 1.2 million pounds pounds in money from criminal activity. You oversaw the adulteration of class A drugs that your close aid, James Close, learned how to conduct on behalf of the conspirators. You increased your profits accordingly. This was drug dealing on the most serious commercial scale, involving quantities of drugs far beyond category 1 levels within the guidelines. You have lived much of your life as a professional criminal involved in serious organized crime. The offenses you fall to be sentenced for graphically illustrate your willingness to follow this path and cause loss and misery to others as you do so. In some cases, previous convictions aggravate the offenses. Defendants in this case fall to be sentenced for. Rothewell has 16 convictions recorded against him for 25 offenses, including robbery with a firearm in 2003 and possession of class C drugs with intent to supply in 2007. In respect of each defendant, I have read the large number of testimonials, letters, certificates, and references provided to me. I have read the individual letters some of the defendants have sent to me. I shall attach appropriate weight to this material accordingly. Each advocate asked me to consider delay in these proceedings as a mitigating feature. Where it is true that the delay in these proceedings cannot be attributed to the actions of a defendant, I am prepared to extend some mitigation accordingly. I make it clear that the delay caused by there being a retrial in this case is not the fault of any defendant. In relation to Jaime Rothwell, I accept that the time you have spent in custody has caused you to reflect upon your criminal past. I note in particular the references I have read from members of staff where you are or have been detained. I remind myself of the harm caused to you in custody during these proceedings and I shall take account of the days you spent in custody in Holland awaiting extradition. You continue to enjoy the support of your family in sentencing Rothwell Rorse Makinson Morrison Mcdana. I am obliged to assess dangerousness in deciding the type of sentence to be imposed upon them. I must do this because of the type of some of the offenses of which they have been convicted. These offenses are specified offenses as defined by section 306 of the sentencing act 2020. The test I must apply is whether the defendant whose case I am dealing with poses a significant risk of causing serious harm to members of the public by the commission by him of further specified offenses. In assessing this, I must take into account the factors set out in section 308 of the sentencing act 2020. Addressing Rothell, the judge said, “You have a previous conviction that falls within schedule 14 of the Sentencing Act 2020, robbery with the use of a firearm. This creates an assumption of dangerousness within the statutory provisions. You played a leading role in the Firearm conspiracies, including the acquisition of the AK-47 with ammunition, a lethal weapon on any view.” You placed hundreds of firearms within the United Kingdom on the evidence and offered for sale many more, including an anti-tank gun. Your willingness to use or authorize the use of firearms to settle disputes is clear within the events of the 24th of April, 2020, which led to the serious injury to Mr. Barnes. At one point, you refer in text exchange to being involved in a six-month war with a person with whom you were in conflict during which you say you went on a rampage. The dangerousness test in your case is satisfied. Given your background and the facts of these offenses, you are likely to remain for some time a criminal who presents a grave risk of causing serious harm to the public as defined in the test. a career path which as yet you have not properly and fully relinquished. I must now consider if a sentence of life imprisonment should be imposed. Given your guilty pleas in these proceedings, I believe that this sentence of last resort need not be imposed. Additionally, there are available alternative sentences which can be imposed, particularly in the light of the very long custodial terms those sentences will attract, which will result in you remaining in custody for a significant period of time. The period of time you will spend in custody before being released subject to license means that there is some scope for rehabilitative work to be undertaken both in custody and then on license which may at some future point reduce the risk of further similar offending in your case. This is particularly the case given the age you are likely to be when eventually released on license. Your current risk is not appropriately addressed by a determinate sentence being imposed. An extended period on license is required to ensure the rehabilitative work I have outlined above is completed. An extended sentence will be imposed in your case. Jamie Rothell, the conspiracy to supply cocaine has a starting point of 24 years in your case, which is increased to 25 years to reflect aggravating features before being reduced to 24 years applying mitigation available to you. This sentence is reduced further to 18 years to reflect credit for plea and then the principle of totality. There will be a concurrent sentence of 6 years imposed upon you in relation to the conspiracy to supply ketamine. The firearms conspiracy in your case has a starting point of 18 years which is increased to outside the category range to reflect the two conspiracies to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent for which you also fall to be sentenced together with other aggravating features. The aggravated figure is a sentence of 25 years which I will reduce to 21 years to reflect firstly credit for plea and then totality. There will be an extended period of license added to that sentence of 4 years making a total sentence of 25 years. I shall impose no separate penalty upon you in the circumstances for the ammunition conspiracy. In relation to the two conspiracies to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent, I shall impose determinate sentences of 10 years which will run concurrently to the sentence imposed for the firearms conspiracy. As I have explained, these all form part of the same series of offenses. The sentences imposed within the two sets of conspiracies, the drugs and the firearms conspiracies, respectively, will run consecutively to each other, making a total sentence in your case of 43 years. I direct that you serve the 18 years sentence for the drugs conspiracy first before then serving the extended sentence of 25 years. That sentence having a 21-year custodial element with four years of extended license thereafter. The days you have spent on remand in these proceedings will count in their entirety towards the sentence I have imposed upon you. Hello and welcome. Today we’re stepping back in time to an event that shook Manchester’s criminal underworld to its core. An event so shocking it has been seared into the city’s memory and one that remains a grim cautionary tale. We’re going back to Sunday, March 12th, 2006. The place is the Brass Handles, a flat roofed pub in the heart of Pendleton Salford. On the surface, it’s just a regular bustling pub. The air is filled with the low hum of conversation, the clinking of glasses, and the roar of a football match on the TV. It’s halftime and Manchester United is up two-0 against Newcastle. For many of the regulars packed inside, it’s a perfect Sunday afternoon. But for a few, this day will be anything but normal. This day, the shadows of Manchester’s gangland will step into the light and leave a trail of death that would ripple through the city for years to come. To understand what happened in the brass handles, you have to understand the players and the deep-seated rivalries that had long defined the city’s criminal landscape. At the center of this story are three distinct groups. First, the old guard of the Salford underworld. Figures like Bobby Spears, a close friend of the man known as Salford’s Mr. Big Paul Massie Spears, a seasoned veteran of the streets, was a figure of respect and fear. Then there was the Dodington gang from Mossside. This was a crew known for its ruthlessness, and its founder, Ian Mloud, was a figure all but retired from the front lines of crime, but still held immense power. And finally, the young men on the rise, a new generation seeking to make their mark. One of these was David Totten, a hardman whose burgeoning reputation was beginning to demand attention and to step on the toes of the established powers. The feud that led to this day was personal. For some reason, David Totten had become a problem for Bobby Spears. The full story has never been made public, but police believe it stemmed from a public humiliation. Months before the shooting, Totten was refused entry to a Manchester nightclub. He tried to get in by name-dropping Spears, who was already inside. The doorman fetched Spears, who feigned ignorance and denied knowing Totten, leaving him to be turned away and embarrassed. It might have seemed like a harmless joke to Spears, a way to put a cocky young man in his place. But in the world of gangland pride, this was a massive insult. Totten’s response was a bold, almost provocative one. He started drinking in Spears Local, the Brass Handles. It was a clear message, a move designed to spook his rival. And it worked. Spears became worried. He decided the only way to deal with Totten was to have him killed. Spears hired Ian Mloud, the Dodington crew leader, for the hit. The price was £10,000. Mloud, in turn, chose two young men to carry out the assassination. Carlton Alvaranga, 20, and Richard Austin, 19. They weren’t seasoned killers. They were, by all accounts, terrified. They weren’t doing this for the money. Police later learned they were in debt to Mlad and this was their way of paying it off. This was a mission they were forced to take. Mloud drove them to the pub in his Ford Mando. He parked nearby waiting. His part of the job was done. It was up to the young men to walk into one of Salford’s toughest pubs and carry out the hit. Inside the brass handles, another key player was in position. Connie Howorth, a convicted gun runner, was at the bar. She was the spotter. Her job was to keep an eye on David Totten and his friends who were in the pub’s snooker room. She was on her mobile phone, ready to send a discreet message to Mloud with Totten’s precise location. A woman known as the Black Widow. She was a veteran of this world, cool and collected. As Alvaranga and Austin were making their way to the pub, she was in the lady’s room touching up her lipstick. A moment of chilling calm before the storm. At 2:45 p.m., a few minutes into the second half of the United Newcastle game, a chilling signal went out. Totten was seated at a table, surrounded by his friends. He was right where they wanted him. Alvaranga and Austin were ready. They were armed with handguns, sent into a crowded pub to kill a man they barely knew. As they entered the pub, all eyes were on the football game. But soon, all eyes would be on them. sound of a pub door swinging open. The noise of the pub stops abruptly, replaced by the sound of gunshots, six in total, and screams. The soundsscape becomes chaotic and loud. Six shots. Six times they fired into David Totten’s chest. Another man, Aaron Travers, jumped in front of his friend, taking two bullets meant for Totten. Totten incredibly survived, but in the immediate chaos, the plan fell apart. Austin’s gun jammed. The men at the table, Totten’s friends, didn’t run. They reacted. They turned the tables on the hitman, literally. They upended a table, using it as a shield. And then, a moment that shocked everyone, they disarmed the wouldbe assassins, and in a horrifying twist, shot them with their own guns. Mortally wounded, Alvaranga and Austin staggered out of the pub and onto a grass verge outside. They collapsed and died there. The aftermath was a scene of utter silence. The first police on the scene found two bodies a few meters from the pub, but inside there was nothing. The pub was empty. The CCTV system was gone. Not a single person who had been in the pub that day would talk. The sulfur code of Amerta was at work. A wall of silence that seemed impenetrable. It was a nightmare for detectives. With no witnesses and no evidence from the scene, the case seemed destined to remain unsolved. But the police found two burner phones on the grass near the bodies. And from that small piece of evidence, they began to unravel the whole story. The phones were the key. One had been topped up with a loyalty card. That card led police to an incriminating web of communications between Spears, Mloud, and Howorth, proving they were the ones who orchestrated the hit. While the two young men who died in the street have never had justice for their murders, the masterminds behind the hit were brought to justice. Spears, Mloud, and Howorth were all eventually convicted of conspiracy to murder thanks to the painstaking work of detectives who refused to be defeated by the code of silence. They were sentenced to life, a testament to the police’s determination. The Brass Handles was eventually demolished. But the story of that day, the terror, the betrayal, and the shocking turn of events remains a defining moment in the history of Manchester’s criminal underworld. It’s a reminder of the brutal consequences of Gangland ambition and a testament to the lives lost in its wake. Thanks for watching, and please like, comment, and share. Welcome, brave listeners, to Underworld Chronicles, where the shadows hold secrets and legends walk among us. Today, we rip back the curtain on a figure whispered about in hushed tones. A man whose very name sends shivers down the spine of Ireland’s criminal elite. We delve into the life of Gerard Hutch, but you know him better as the monk. Born on April 11th, 1963 in the unforgiving streets of Dublin. Gerard Hutch isn’t just a name on a police file. He’s an enigma, a paradox wrapped in a riddle. At 62, he’s not merely a survivor in the brutal world of organized crime. He’s a kingpin, a meticulous strategist, and the alleged architect of a criminal empire. But how does a man supposedly at the pinnacle of international gangsterism earn a nickname like the monk? A title that conjures images of quiet contemplation, not cold-blooded power. The moniker, whispered into existence by Irish Times journalist Harry McGee, wasn’t just a clever turn of phrase. It was a stark observation. Since his release from prison in 1985, Hutch reportedly shed the trappings of typical gangland excess. No flashy cars, no ostentatious displays of wealth, no public revalry. Instead, a disciplined, almost aesthetic lifestyle. This wasn’t just personal preference. It was a calculated move. This understated approach, this ironclad self-control became his ultimate weapon, a shield against scrutiny and a potent symbol of his unique power. While others flaunted, Hutch calculated. While others binged, Hutch schemed. This chilling discipline, they say, is the secret to his terrifying longevity. But make no mistake, beneath the veneer of the monk, beats the heart of the alleged leader of the infamous Hutch gang. This isn’t some back alley crew. This is a sprawling Dublin-based organized crime group with tentacles reaching far across international borders. They are a force to be reckoned with, a syndicate of audacious ambition and ruthless efficiency. And for years they’ve been known to the Irish public, sometimes with a dark, almost folkloric reverence, as if stepping straight out of a real life Bugsy Malone. A criminal enterprise certainly, but one with its own unique, chilling character, distinct from the rough and tumble street gangs. And Hutch’s alleged exploits don’t stop at gang leadership. For decades, his name has been synonymous with audacity, with legend making heists that captivated a nation. He was for a long time the prime suspect in two of the most daring, most meticulously executed armed robberies in Irish history. These weren’t amateur jobs. These were cinematic level operations requiring a chilling level of foresight, precision, and nerve. And Hutch’s alleged exploits don’t stop at gang leadership. For decades, his name has been synonymous with audacity, with legend-making heists that captivated a nation. He was for a long time the prime suspect in two of the most daring, most meticulously executed armed robberies in Irish history. These weren’t amateur jobs. These were cinematic level operations requiring a chilling level of foresight, precision, and nerve. But then the blood feud, the war, the Kinahan Hutch cartel conflict. This isn’t just a rivalry. It’s a saga of unbridled brutality. A modern-day gangland epic that has torn through the heart of Dublin and sent shock waves across the globe. 18 murders, 18 souls extinguished in a relentless cycle of vengeance. Each bullet fired, each life taken. A grim tally in a conflict that seems to defy all reason and all end. And the spark that ignited this inferno. The event that plunged an already violent feud into unprecedented depths. February 2016, the Regency Hotel in Dublin. It was meant to be a boxing weigh-in, a public event. Instead, it became a battleground. A scene of shocking brazen violence played out in broad daylight. David Burn, a high-ranking Kinahan associate, was gunned down in a hail of bullets. This wasn’t just a murder. It was a public execution, a direct challenge, and a declaration of war on the Kahan cartel. The images from that day, the chaos, the panic, the chilling efficiency of the attack seared themselves into the national consciousness. It was a line crossed, an act so audacious that it screamed for retaliation, ensuring that the rivers of blood would continue to flow. The heat was on. The world watched breathless as the net slowly, inexraably tightened. And then the biggest gamble, the ultimate showdown, unfolded in April 2023. After years of speculation, after an international manhunt, Jerry Hutch stood trial. The charge, planning the cold-blooded murder of David Burn at the Regency Hotel. This wasn’t just any trial. It was a legal war. A highstakes chess match played out in the Irish courts. Every detail was scrutinized. Every witness grilled as the prosecution sought to connect the monk directly to the Regency hit. The evidence was complex, often circumstantial, painting a picture of coded communications, alleged movements, and a desperate pursuit of justice. The trial itself was a spectacle, a legal cage match that dragged the darkest secrets of the underworld into the glaring light of day. Captivating an entire nation and making headlines across Europe. After a grueling, tension-filled process, the verdict came down. A quiddle, not guilty. The air crackled with disbelief. Was it a testament to his unbreakable will, his ability to evade the grasp of justice, or simply the agonizing complexity of prosecuting a man so deeply entrenched in a world of whispers and shadows? Regardless, it sent a powerful message. The monk remained elusive. The legal system had wrestled with the legend, and the legend, for now, had prevailed. The walls of a prison are meant to represent order, security, and a path to rehabilitation. But what if those walls in some parts of the UK are becoming increasingly porous? What if the very people entrusted with maintaining that order are in fact complicit in its breakdown? For years, whispers have circulated and increasingly those whispers are becoming shouts. We’re talking about a disturbing trend within some of his majesty’s prisons. The smuggling of contraband. Drugs like spice and heroin are finding their way into cells, fueling addiction and violence. And then there are the phones, devices that connect inmates to the outside world, allowing them to continue criminal enterprises, intimidate witnesses, and flaunt their disregard for the law. But how are these illicit items breaching the high security? The uncomfortable truth in a significant number of cases points directly to those on the inside, prison officers themselves. Recent investigations, disciplinary hearings, and even criminal prosecutions have unveiled a deeply troubling pattern. Officers corrupted by money, intimidation, or even misguided loyalty are reportedly acting as mules, jeopardizing the safety and integrity of the entire system. And the issues don’t stop at smuggling. Even more shocking are the reports of inappropriate relationships forming between prison officers and inmates. These aren’t just minor indiscretions. We’re talking about sexual relationships, emotional entanglements that utterly compromise the officer’s position and the safety of the institution. Such breaches of trust create vulnerabilities, undermine authority, and can be exploited by cunning inmates. The consequences of this corruption are severe and farreaching. With drugs readily available, violence escalates. With phones in hand, inmates can continue to orchestrate crimes, coordinate gang activities, and even taunt their victims. This erosion of control leads to a breakdown of discipline. And in some wings, the perception is that inmates rather than officers are running the show. This isn’t just about a few bad apples. It’s about a systemic challenge that risks turning places of incarceration into breeding grounds for further criminality. It’s crucial to remember that the vast majority of prison officers are dedicated, hardworking individuals who put their lives on the line daily. But the actions of a corrupt few cast a long shadow, making their already challenging job even more difficult and dangerous. They face increased threats, undermined authority, and a constant battle against the tide of illicit activity. This crisis impacts morale and makes recruitment of good officers even harder. The UK prison system is at a crossroads. Addressing these deep-seated issues. The smuggling, the inappropriate relationships, and the resulting loss of control isn’t just about punishment. It’s about restoring order, ensuring rehabilitation, and protecting society. What steps need to be taken to truly secure our prisons and rebuild trust in the system? That’s a question we as a society must urgently confront. Welcome, true crime enthusiasts, to a story that sounds like it’s ripped straight from a Hollywood script, but is horrifyingly real. Today, we’re diving deep into the shadowy world of Paul Green. A name that might not be as infamous as some drug lords, but whose operation dwarfed many, becoming the biggest drug bust in UK history, valued at a staggering, almost unbelievable 7 billion pounds. Imagine a network so vast, so meticulously planned that it operated right under the noses of authorities for years, flooding the United Kingdom with narcotics. This isn’t just a tale of a few kilos here or there. This is about an industrial scale operation, as one judge put it, that moved tons upon tons of heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabis across borders. And at the center of it all was a man known simply as the big fella, Paul Green. Our story begins, as many do, with seemingly innocuous goods. Think fresh produce, onions, garlic, ginger, staples found in kitchens worldwide. But for Paul Green and his syndicate, these weren’t just groceries. They were ingenious cloaks for an illicit cargo. The strong, pungent aromomas of these vegetables weren’t just for cooking. They were carefully chosen to mask the telltale scent of drugs, making it incredibly difficult for sniffer dogs and customs officials to detect the true nature of the shipments. From the Netherlands, these seemingly innocent lorries loaded with their fragrant deception would make their way into the UK. But this wasn’t just a one-off run. The National Crime Agency or NCA later uncovered a mind-boggling scale of operation. At least 240 shipments. Let that sink in. 240 separate journeys, each carrying a hidden payload destined to fuel addiction and misery across the nation. What makes this case particularly astonishing is that only a fraction of these drugs were ever actually seized. The 7 billion pound valuation isn’t based on what was caught, but on the meticulous evidence gathered by the NCA, painting a terrifyingly clear picture of the sheer volume of narcotics that slipped through the net. This wasn’t just a drug trafficking ring. It was a logistics empire built on illicit goods. So, how did this colossal enterprise finally crumble? Often in these sprawling criminal sagas, it’s a small detail, an unexpected hiccup that brings down the whole house of cards. In this instance, it was the vigilance and suspicion of an innocent Lori driver. Imagine you’re just doing your job, transporting what you believe to be legitimate cargo when something feels off. This driver, whose name remains out of the public eye for obvious reasons, had the courage and presence of mind to alert the police. And that single act of civic duty pulled on a thread that would unravel the entire intricate tapestry of Paul Green’s empire. The subsequent investigation by the NCA was nothing short of monumental. It was a painstaking yearslong endeavor, piecing together fragments of evidence, tracking movements, deciphering coded communications, and slowly but surely identifying the key players. And at the apex of this criminal pyramid was Paul Green. Green was no ordinary street dealer. He was a sophisticated, cunning individual who went to extraordinary lengths to evade detection. He changed his name not once but twice by deedpole, an attempt to erase his past and create new identities. He was also deeply embroiled in various forms of fraud, suggesting a long history of criminal ingenuity. His nickname, the big fella, wasn’t just about his physical stature, but likely a reflection of his dominant role and influence within the criminal underworld. But his most telling evasion tactic speaks volumes about his paranoia and operational security. To communicate with his network to orchestrate these massive shipments, he didn’t use his own devices or even burner phones in easily traceable locations. Instead, he would use the Wi-Fi from rented hotel rooms, constantly shifting locations, leaving minimal digital breadcrumbs that could lead back to him. This was a man who understood the game and played it with an almost obsessive level of caution. This obsessive caution, however, wasn’t enough. The meticulous work of the NCA ultimately led to arrests. The scale of the criminal network meant the legal proceedings were just as colossal as the crime itself. This wasn’t a case that could be tried in a few weeks. It required two separate criminal trials, one of which dragged on for an incredible 23 months, making it the longest criminal trial in the history of England and Wales. It’s a testament to the mountain of evidence and the complexity of the operation that it took a judge and jury nearly 2 years just to hear the facts of the case. Finally, in 2024, the hammer of justice came down. Paul Green, the big fella, was sentenced to 32 years behind bars. It’s a sentence that reflects the severity and sheer audacity of his crimes. But he wasn’t alone. His key accompllices and other members of the gang received their own lengthy prison terms. In total, the cumulative sentences for all those convicted in this massive conspiracy exceeded 200 years. The judge presiding over the case didn’t mince words. He described the operation as industrial and hitherto unprecedented. Think about that phrase, unprecedented. It means something that has never happened before. This wasn’t just a new level of drug smuggling. It was a new chapter entirely. One that revealed a terrifying capability within the criminal underworld to operate on a scale previously thought impossible in the UK. The story of Paul Green serves as a stark warning. It shows how sophisticated and organized modern crime can be. It’s a reminder that beneath the surface of everyday life, powerful and dangerous networks are at work. The 7 billion pound bust wasn’t just a win for law enforcement. It was a crucial disruption of an empire that was systematically poisoning communities across the UK.