A dad-of-three has been jailed for smuggling a loaded gun between arms dealers in Oldham.
Michael McDonagh, 29, is the last conspirator to be sentenced, after he was spotted by undercover cops engaging with several others whilst the deal was taking place.
Spearheaded by Nathan Godfrey, 30, the group have been jailed for almost 100 years for the possession of the Retay firearm, which had been modified into a live-firing weapon.
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On January 27, 2020, McDonagh and Sebastian Benjamin, 33, travelled from Hemel Hempstead to Reins Lee Avenue in Oldham.
Benjamin was driving a stolen BMW and McDonagh was driving his wife’s VW Golf, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
This was said to be a ‘pre-planned’ and ‘organised’ visit to pick up the weapon from armourer Hedley Brown, 57, who lived nearby.
Godfrey, Ryan Catton, 35, and Lee Nicholson, 30, had all been involved in telephone contact between the different parties in order to facilitate a smooth transaction of the firearm, Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting, said.
The BMW and Golf both were seen driving into the area at around 4pm.
“Surveillance officers watched the driver of the Golf on his phone. At 16.39 the Golf moved and parked up in front of a white van,” Ms Thomson said.
“At 16.58, Brown left his house in a high visibility jacket. He walked towards the Golf and approached the driver's side - where McDonagh was sat - and leaned forwards into the car then stepped back dropping his hands in front of him.
“He then removed a pair of gloves before stepping away from the Golf.”
Prosecutors said this was clearly the moment Brown supplied the firearm.
McDonagh and Stuart Nicholson, cousin of Lee Nicholson, and who had been a passenger in the Golf at the time, were both seen walking towards the rear of the BMW.
Stuart Nicholson, 32, leaned into the boot for a number of seconds as McDonagh watched on. At this point, Nicholson had stored the weapon in a ‘hidden’ compartment in the boot, the Crown said, before both cars drove away.
As McDonagh managed to get back down South, the BMW was stopped on Cavendish Street in Ashton-under-Lyne by armed police at around 5.20pm.
Following a search of the car, officers found a plastic bag containing the Turkish XR Retay 9mm self loading pistol, with three rounds of live ammunition in the magazine, as well as 11 rounds of ammunition in a blue sock.
It was test fired by forensic officers and found it discharged with ‘sufficient force’.
"Following their arrest a number of phones were seized to see if anyone else was involved," Ms Thomson added.
"Police found there was a much larger network of individuals."
Godfrey, Catton, and Nicholson were all identified as being a part of the wider network, and were involved in facilitating the transfer via phone contact between the two parties.
The court heard that soon after the transfer was made, phones used by the defendants were 'dropped' with all defendants ending contact after February, 2020.
"This demonstrates a concerted effort to cover their tracks after these actions took place," Ms Thomson said.
McDonagh was arrested two months later at a petrol station in Hemel Hempstead.
At his house on Three Cherry Trees Lane, officers found an axe, drug paraphernalia and an imitation firearm.
McDonagh was said to have 12 previous convictions for 15 offences including for theft, dishonesty and fraud by false representation.
“There was no attempt to use it, there was no suggestion it was being driven on to be used other than to be brought back,” Tyrone Smith QC, defending said.
“It wasn’t to be sat on somebody’s mantelpiece was it” Judge Bernadette Baxter said.
“There is always a risk that a firearm will be used,” Mr Smith QC continued.
“He is the author of his own fate. There will be an effect of his behaviour on his family.
“He is married and they have three children - he has not had contact with the younger child since his arrest.”
Sentencing, Judge Bernadette Baxter said: “Clearly the firearm and ammunition were to be used in some form of criminality. There is only one purpose to terrify, to kill or to cause serious injury.
“The risk is all too obvious to see. It’s clear against the background of the people involved in this offence that there was a nefarious purpose for that firearm and ammunition.
“You did have a role in planning, organising the vehicles and coordinating the people driving those vehicles. This was part of a group activity.
McDonagh, of Cherry Trees Lane, Hemel Hempstead, was jailed for seven years and two months, of which he will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody, after pleading guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm with intent to endanger life, and possession of prohibited ammunition.
He was also made the subject of a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years.
Detective Constable Christopher Chinnery, from GMP's Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: "This was clearly a sophisticated group who were operating across the country and moving guns that were converted into lethal weapons and moving them onto the streets of Greater Manchester.
"Our proactive work and thorough investigation has led to these men being taken off the streets along with dangerous guns that could have led to devastating consequences.
"This result comes after hours of CCTV trawls and thorough mobile phone data researching which showed the clear links between the group and how they communicated with each other to continue with their criminal enterprise.
"We're committed to taking those involved in high-level crime and firearms off the streets of Greater Manchester and though a lot of work isn't visible - this is an example of the end result.
"Information from members of the public is always vital and the smallest bit of information could help us significantly or even save a life.
Sentences of others involved
- Nathan Godfrey, of Rockley Avenue, Barnsley but originally from Salford, was found guilty of conspiring to transfer a firearm and jailed for 14 years.
- Ryan Catton, of Ruston Parva, Driffield, North Yorkshire, was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer a firearm and was jailed for 13 years.
- Lee Nicholson, of Queens Road, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer a firearm and was jailed for eight years and 3 months.
- Hedley Brown, Reins Lea Avenue, Oldham, pleaded guilty to transferring a firearm, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life, possession of Class B with intent to supply and possession of class A and was jailed for 13 years 6 months.
- Sebastian Benjamin, of Long Chaulden, Hemel Hempstead, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a certificate and was jailed for five years.
- Stuart Nicholson, of Dysart Road, Grantham, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a certificate and was jailed for five years.
- Craig Steenson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a firearm, conspiracy to supply Cocaine and possession of criminal property (cash) and was jailed for 16 years.
- Cody Hurley pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a certificate and was jailed for seven years and six months.
- Peter Locker pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition without a certificate, possession with intent to supply Cocaine and possession with intent to supply Cannabis and was jailed for eight years three months.
Serious Crime Prevention Orders were also placed on Godfrey, Catton, Nicholson, and Steenson meaning there are further restrictions when they are released from prison, including banning them from having more than one electronic device for five years upon their release from custody.
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