OCG boss jailed for orchestrating a shooting in Warrington

The case began in May 2020 when international law enforcement officers, working with the National Crime Agency, infiltrated a previously encrypted data system known as EncroChat, forming part of the Europe-wide investigation codenamed Operation Venetic.

Detectives from Cheshire’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) analysed the encrypted data used by Rothwell and read his messages to other EncroChat users where he discussed an ongoing feud with rival gang member, Leon Cullen.

At this time, Rothwell was hiding from police in Spain for separate serious offences, and used EncroChat, under the handle ‘Live-long’, to communicate with his criminal associates back in the UK.

Here, he ordered his subordinates to pursue those closely connected with the Cullen organised crime group, with the intention of causing them serious harm.

Rothwell arranged for two of Cullen’s associates to be targeted, and put the request “out to tender”, offering substantial amounts of cash to anyone willing to carry out the shootings.

The court heard how in April 2020, a 56-year-old man was shot on Poplars Avenue, Warrington, under Rothwell’s orders. The victim sustained life-changing injuries to his leg.

Following this, Cheshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) launched Operation Chairs, a complex investigation into organised crime in the Warrington area and the wider northwest region.

Lewis Fitzpatrick, Aaron Bretherton and Anthony Morris were subsequently identified as part of the operation and were later convicted of carrying out the shooting.

The three men had travelled to Warrington with the intention of carrying out a targeted shooting, as requested by Rothwell, on the evening of Friday 24 April 2020.

Fitzpatrick acquired the firearm, Bretherton was the gunman, and Morris was the driver.

When detectives established that Rothwell was the driving force behind the attack, he fled to the Netherlands.

He was arrested on 14 December 2020 as he travelled in a taxi in Amsterdam after Cheshire Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit obtained a European Arrest Warrant. He was then extradited back to the UK on Thursday 11 March 2021.

Detectives worked with the National Crime Agency, North West Regional and Organised Crime Unit and Dutch partners along with assistance from the Crown Prosecution Service to secure the arrest and his subsequent extradition.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Henderson, from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “Rothwell was a well-established organised criminal who believed his connections would allow him to commit extreme acts of violence whilst remaining under the radar.

“While he lapped up the Spanish sun, his associates carried out his orders and searched the streets of Warrington for those Rothwell had intended to harm.

“His actions brought chaos to the local community, leaving innocent members of the public fearful.

“A man was also left with lifelong injuries and will never be able to walk the same again.

“Over the past few years, we have worked incredibly hard to turn the tide of fear in Warrington by targeting individuals who are directly involved in serious and organised crime and making it very clear that the town is a hostile place for criminality.

“I would like to thank our colleagues in Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for their help and support in bringing Rothwell to justice, and I hope his sentence will serve as warning to those who think that they can travel to Cheshire to commit crime.

“We will continue to be relentless in the pursuit of those who cause the most harm to our communities and work with the public, and with our partner agencies, to bring offenders to justice and to make Cheshire a safe place to live and work.”