A notorious Liverpool man took part in a violent raid at a Liverpool house when £1m worth of cocaine was stolen.
A father and son were both left needing hospital treatment after the armed raid at the house on Croxdale Road West in the Huyton area of the city. The father suffered a deep wound to his arm and his son was hit on the head with an axe.
Today Manchester Crown Court heard how Richard Caswell helped organise the raid along with Salford men Jason and Craig Cox. Ben Monks-Gorton, who was dressed up to look like a delivery driver, was also involved.
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Caswell, from north Liverpool, was jailed for life in 2005 for his part in a wave of car bombings across the city. He was released from prison on licence in 2019.
Alex Langhorn, prosecuting, told the court how Caswell and Jason Cox had been involved in a 'concerted plan to rob a Liverpool organised crime group.' Mr Langhorn said that the men had tracking devices put on cars in the build up to the raid, and organised several practice runs.
CCTV was played in court which showed the men arriving in a van outside the house on Croxdale Road West on May 23 2020. The men were then seen returning to the van minutes later when the put what appeared to be stolen drugs in the boot of the van.
Police were called to the scene and the court was shown body cam footage which showed the injuries suffered by the father and son. The father had an exposed wound to his arm and there was blood on the floor.
The gang stole around £1m worth of cocaine during the raid, the court heard.
Mr Langhorn said that Monks-Gorton,30, who worked for the Cox gang, accidentally dropped a covid mask at the house during the raid. Police were able to identify Monks-Gorton through DNA evidence.
Monks-Gorton, who had pleaded guilt to conspiracy to commit to robbery, was jailed for six years and nine months. Judge Patrick Field QC told Monks-Gorton that although he was not involved in planning the raid he 'facilitated entry to the house' by posing as a delivery driver.
Judge Field also sentenced a second man who had worked for the Cox crime group. Mr Langhorn had told the court how Michael Anthony Nevin was a trusted courier who moved drugs and cash around for the Cox brothers.
Nevin, 35, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to possess criminal property. Nevin was not involved in the raid at the stash house.
Nevin, from Manchester, was jailed for nine years and nine months.
Caswell has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine, conspiracy to possess criminal property and conspiracy to commit robbery. He will be sentenced next month.
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