Transcription
Liverpool's underworld has long been a battleground for rival factions vying for dominance. In the 1990s, the notorious Curtis Warren, known as COI, reigned supreme, orchestrating vast drug trafficking operations. His eventual incarceration left a power vacuum, swiftly filled by emerging groups eager to stake their claim.
The Hitton Firm, also referred to as the Cantril Farm cartel, rose to prominence in the 1990s. Founded by brothers Vincent and Francis Cogins, the gang capitalized on the city's drug trade, employing ruthless tactics to eliminate competition. Their operations extended beyond Liverpool, with connections reaching into Europe.
The city's gang landscape further evolved with the emergence of groups like WVO 420, named after the West Derby area and the international weed celebration on April 20th. This gang became notorious for its involvement in drug distribution and violent turf wars. In recent years, the Hillsiders, based in the Huyton area, have been implicated in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking and violent assaults. Their rivalry with other gangs has contributed to a surge in street violence.
The city's criminal enterprises have also been marked by high-profile incidents. In 2009, a grenade was mistakenly left outside the Burkdale home of then Liverpool FC manager Kenny Dalglish. The intended target lived nearby, highlighting the reckless nature of gangland feuds. The infiltration of encrypted communication networks such as EncroChat by law enforcement in 2020 unveiled the intricate operations of these gangs. This breakthrough led to significant arrests and disrupted the activities of groups in the area. However, the relentless pursuit of power ensures that new factions continually emerge, perpetuating the cycle of violence on Liverpool's streets.
In this volatile environment, figures like Lee Harrison found themselves entangled in the dangerous web of gang rivalries. His associations and the ensuing conflicts underscore the perilous nature of Liverpool's underworld alliances. Alliances can swiftly turn deadly, and the quest for dominance leaves a trail of bloodshed in Liverpool's underworld.
Lee Harrison, better known as SAS, was no ordinary figure—a man caught between loyalty, survival, and the unforgiving laws of the streets. He was both a product and a prisoner of the environment. His name carried weight among the Hillsiders, a notorious gang deeply entrenched in the city's drug trade. The Hillsiders were no strangers to brutal turf wars, and Harrison's connections ran deep within this ecosystem of power and revenge.
What made Harrison stand out wasn't just his association with the Hillsiders, but his growing reputation as a key player in their operations. Known for his sharp wit and street smarts, SAS had climbed the ranks of the hierarchy. But with power comes enemies, and in Liverpool's gangland, grudges rarely fade; they simmer until they explode.
The feud that placed Harrison in the crosshairs stemmed from long-standing bad blood. It began with a £40,000 coke deal gone wrong, a theft that many claim the Hillsiders had a hand in. Nile Barry, alias Branch, a rival gang figure with his own ambitions, saw this as both an insult and a challenge. When consignments go missing, the people further up the chain still want their money. The rivalry between the two men was now personal. This bad blood escalated over years, setting off a dangerous game of cat and mouse between the factions. Adding fuel to the fire, Harrison's bold demeanor and refusal to back down only solidified his status as a target on the streets. Power isn't just about violence; it's about reputation, and for Barry and his crew, taking out SAS was about sending a message to the city's underworld: no one crosses the line without consequences.
But Harrison wasn't just facing Barry. The intricate web of Liverpool's gang rivalries meant that allegiances could shift overnight, and enemies often came from unexpected places. The Hillsiders had their share of rivalries, and Harrison was mentioned in many backroom deals and EncroChats to his adversaries. He wasn't just a man; he was a prize, and eliminating him would settle old scores.
Despite the danger, Harrison continued to walk a fine line. Those close to him knew he was always looking over his shoulder, aware that the grudges he had sparked wouldn't be forgotten. In Liverpool's gangland, being marked wasn't just about survival; it was about constantly watching your back, knowing that the next knock at the door or shadow in the street could be the end.
Lee Harrison's life in the months leading up to the fatal events was full of tension. His presence at key moments in Liverpool's gang conflicts, his affiliations, and his unwillingness to concede had sealed his fate in the eyes of his enemies.
At the heart of this feud lies the Hillsiders, a formidable organized crime group rooted in the Huyton area. Their operations encompass drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and a ruthless enforcement of territory. Among their ranks was Lee Harrison, known on the streets as SAS, whose affiliations would entangle him in a deadly feud. Opposing the Hillsiders stood a faction led by Nile Barry. Barry's crew was equally entrenched in Liverpool's criminal underworld, with a reputation for merciless retribution. The animosity between these groups escalated over time, leading to a series of confrontations that would leave a trail of violence across the city.
The Hillsiders and Barry's crew weren't the only factions; they were part of a larger network of gangs that spanned the entire city. Other groups like the Deli Mob and WVO 420 occasionally intersected with their operations, either as allies or rivals. These factions operated with a complex blend of competition and cooperation, ensuring that Liverpool's gangland remained a volatile and ever-shifting landscape.
The rivalry intensified following the coke theft in 2019, a heist that ignited a bitter dispute between the two. This bad blood reached a boiling point at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2022, where Sha Zeiss, a close associate of Barry, was assaulted—a confrontation that reignited hostilities and set the stage for a violent showdown.
In the weeks before the shooting, Shawn was out with his girlfriend. They had a row with Jordan Thompson, nicknamed Dusty, an associate of Lee Harrison. Shawn was punched and chased, having to take cover behind a nearby bar. He didn't take this lightly; trouble was brewing.
In the aftermath, Barry, alongside Zeiss and other associates, orchestrated a plan to eliminate Harrison, viewing him as a significant threat to their operations. The Hillsiders, with Harrison among their ranks, braced for the inevitable clash, fully aware that in Liverpool's gangland, such vendettas often culminate in bloodshed.
Weapons played a central role in this gangland arms race. The Scorpion submachine gun used in the events that followed symbolized the militarization of Liverpool's gangs. These were compact, fully automatic firearms, capable of firing up to 850 rounds per minute. They were often smuggled into the UK through Eastern European arms routes and had become a favorite among the city's criminal elite. In a city where most violent disputes had once been settled with knives, the arrival of automatic firearms marked a turning point for the Liverpool gangs. The Scorpion became a status symbol.
The plot to eliminate Lee Harrison was no spur-of-the-moment attack; it was a methodical execution, planned down to the smallest detail. Enlisted for the job was James Witham, a known enforcer and trusted trigger man with a history of violence. Witham was someone Barry could rely on to do the job without asking questions. Alongside him was Joseph Pierce, a quieter but equally reliable accomplice who often handled logistics for these kinds of operations. The weapon was retrieved from the stash house; it was likely cleaned and prepared. They secured a stolen Hyundai for the getaway, with the routes and switch-overs planned carefully. Everything was in place as the gunmen made their way to the target.
In the early hours of August 21st, 2022, the hit on Leinster Road in Old Swan, Liverpool, was underway. James Witham and Joseph Pierce had arrived following weeks of planning. This was a gangland operation with one clear objective: eliminate Lee Harrison.
The house at 40 Leinster Road was targeted as a known location for Harrison. Witham, armed with a Scorpion submachine gun, approached the front door. It was locked. In an attempt to bring the occupants out of the house, Witham and Pierce stabbed the car tires of the car parked outside; that set off the car alarm. When Ashley Dale heard the alarm, she believed it was caused by heavy rain and so she stayed inside. Outside, Witham and Pierce waited for their moment. Stolen vehicles had been used to transport the gunmen, ensuring they could disappear without leaving a trail. Running out of time and realizing that no one was going to come out, Witham kicked the door in, splintering the wood and entered with the Scorpion drawn. The shots began almost immediately. Reports indicate that at least 10 rounds were discharged inside the house. Ashley Dale, a 28-year-old council worker, sat inside in her pajamas, watching television. She was not part of the gangland feuds but found herself face to face with them. In the chaos, she was hit by a stray round as she tried to escape, eventually collapsing in the backyard with fatal injuries. While the gunmen may have intended to intimidate or leave a mark for Harrison, the execution had gone off script. Witham, after firing more rounds into the house's walls to send a message, exited swiftly. Pierce was already positioned in the getaway car, ensuring their exit was immediate. The operation lasted only minutes, showcasing the precision and speed with which Liverpool's underworld operated when carrying out these kinds of hits. The silence returned to Leinster Road as quickly as it had been shattered. This was a cold, calculated operation, but it had spiraled beyond its intended target.
EncroChat, a Europe-based service, provided modified smartphones that facilitated encrypted communications among approximately 60,000 users worldwide, with around 10,000 in the UK. These devices, marketed as offering complete anonymity, became the preferred tools for criminals involved in activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and even plotting murders. These served as the secret, secure channels for orchestrating illicit activities. Nile Barry, operating under the handle "BetterTrunk," was a prominent figure in this digital space. His EncroChat messages unveiled a network deeply entrenched in the trafficking of firearms and narcotics.
In April 2020, Barry engaged in a conversation with a user known as "FrostySocks." During this exchange, Barry instructed, "Get that .38 off Gibbs, we float with that, my other things are quite far dodgy on the road, that's local, just get that scorp and we go." In this context, ".38" denoted a caliber of ammunition, and "scorp" was shorthand for a Scorpion submachine gun, a weapon notorious for its compact size and rapid-fire capability. Further messages revealed Barry's involvement in the procurement and distribution of firearms. He was approached by another EncroChat user seeking to acquire a "sprayer," a term for a submachine gun. He also received a message which appeared to list weapons including a Scorpion, AK-47, and Uzi submachine gun. He responded asking the sender to "get us prices." Barry's readiness to facilitate such transactions underscored his pivotal role in the arms trade within the criminal underworld.
The infiltration of EncroChat by law enforcement agencies in 2020 was a significant blow to organized crime networks across Europe. The decrypted communications provided a treasure trove of evidence, leading to numerous arrests and convictions. In June 2023, based on the intercepted messages, Nile Barry was convicted of conspiracy to sell or transfer a prohibited weapon, specifically a submachine gun. The exposure of these encrypted chats shed light on the intricate web of Liverpool's gangland operations. Figures like Barry, who once operated with a perceived wall of encryption, found their dealings laid bare. The EncroChat revelations not only disrupted the flow of illegal arms and drugs but also provided critical insights into the hierarchies and rivalries that fuel the city's criminal enterprises. In the aftermath, the dismantling of these encrypted networks served as a stark reminder to organized crime syndicates: the very tools designed to shield their operations became instrumental in their undoing.
Armed with this and other evidence, Nile Barry and the gang were raided by armed police. "Police, show me your hands!" Barry, identified as a principal orchestrator of the attack, attempted to evade capture by planning to leave the country. However, law enforcement intercepted him before he could execute his escape plan. Upon his arrest, authorities uncovered evidence of his involvement in serious organized crime, including conspiracies to supply Class A and B drugs and possession of prohibited firearms.
James Witham, the gunman who carried out the shooting, and his associate Joseph Pierce took measures to avoid immediate detection. They checked into a hotel in St Helens, distancing themselves from their residences in Liverpool. Subsequently, they traveled to Scotland, seeking refuge from the intensifying police search. Despite these efforts, both individuals were eventually located and arrested by authorities.
In November 2023, the Liverpool Crown Court concluded the trial of four men involved in the orchestrated attack that led to the tragic death of Ashley Dale. The proceedings shed light on the planning and execution of the crime and resulted in significant sentences for each defendant.
James Witham, identified as the gunman who executed the fatal shooting, was convicted of murder and conspiracy to murder. He was also convicted of conspiracy to possess a prohibited firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. The court recognized Witham's direct involvement in the attack, noting that he carried out the shooting with a Scorpion submachine gun, discharging multiple rounds that resulted in Ashley Dale's death. Given the severity of his actions and his central role in the crime, Witham was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 43 years, adjusted to account for time already served on remand.
Nile Barry, described as the mastermind behind the operation, was found guilty of the same charges. The court highlighted Barry's significant culpability, emphasizing his role in orchestrating the attack and providing the firearm used in the murder. Barry's prior criminal activities, including involvement in drug-related offenses, further aggravated his sentence. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 47 years, reflecting his leadership role in the conspiracy and the premeditated nature of the crime.
Joseph Pierce, with previous convictions for 11 offenses including driving offenses, drugs possession, and public order offenses, acted as the driver. He was also convicted for the attack. Sha Zeiss, who was attacked at the festival by Harrison's associate, was also found guilty. Zeiss's prior criminal record and active participation in the gang's activities contributed to his sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 32 years.
In delivering the sentences, the judge underscored the gravity of the offenses, highlighting the premeditated nature of the attack, the use of a highly dangerous firearm, and the broader context of violent gang rivalry. The court highlighted that the murder involved significant planning and was executed with a military-grade weapon—factors that substantially increased the seriousness of the crime. Additionally, the efforts to dispose of evidence and the backdrop of violent drug gang rivalry were considered aggravating factors.
In Liverpool's gangland, power is fleeting. The streets follow their own brutal code: loyalty above all, silence under threat, and respect won at the barrel of a gun. For those who live by these rules, the stakes are clear: every action demands retaliation, every grudge escalates, and every step forward risks pulling someone down. The murder of Ashley Dale was not the first collateral damage in this endless cycle, and it won't be the last. It was the result of a game that leaves no winners. The men who planned and carried out the attack may have thought they were sending a message, but all they proved was that the code of the street spares no one—not even the innocent.
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