Kinahan mobster Liam Byrne told 'Bomber' Kavanagh would start 'cracking heads' in encrypted chats

Kinahan cartel mobster Liam Byrne was warned in encrypted chats that gang boss Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh would start “cracking heads” if they didn’t secure firearms to get him a lesser sentence.

The details of incriminating ‘Encrochat’ conversations between Shaun Kent and Liam Byrne were heard at the first day of their sentencing hearing before London’s Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey on Monday.

The pair pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy to import firearms which were ultimately found buried in a field in Newry, Co Down in May 2021 - and were deliberately left there in a bizarre plot to be found by investigators - following a tip off from Kavanagh, 57, who was trying to secure himself a lesser prison sentence.

READ MORE: Gardai investigate as four boys allegedly held at gunpoint during robbery in Dublin park

READ MORE: Barbie Kardashian accused of making threats to kill or cause serious harm

Kavanagh, meanwhile, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import firearms and perverting the course of justice by deliberately luring the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the guns cache to try and secure himself a lesser sentence at a time when he was facing sentencing for conspiracy to import €36 million worth of cocaine and cannabis - a crime for which he ultimately was sentenced to 21 years.

All three men appeared in person before His Honour Judge Philip Katz at London’s Old Bailey on Monday, where the full details of the plot were first heard. Byrne, wearing a dark navy jumper and white shirt, sat at the back of a glass-encased dock in the centre of the courtroom behind Kavanagh, who sat in front wearing a blue tracksuit.

In mitigation, a Defence barrister for Liam Byrne later told the court that his client “never wants to find himself in this position again,” and “wants to find himself living a good and honest life” when he is released.

The court heard evidence of multiple encrypted messages between Shaun Kent, Liam Byrne and others as they conspired together using multiple nickname handles on Encrochat to try and secure weapons - including semi-automatic firearms, pistols and, at one stage, an RPG and C4 - on the orders of Kavanagh.

The court heard how Kavanagh was growing increasingly “frustrated” behind bars as his sentencing date for the drugs grew closer - and as a ‘middleman’ who was being used to pass messages onto Kent and Byrne was about to be transferred out of the prison he shared with him.

The court heard, for example, a message that stated how Liam Byrne, who used the names ‘Gargler’ and ‘Thai Live’ on Encrochat, could “source Glocks for £3,500 each." Byrne was told in encrypted messages to “try and get as many of them (firearms) as you can, he (Kavanagh) needs them,” and was also told that it was the “only chance he’s got of getting a good result out of this case”.

Prosecuting Counsel told Judge Katz that it was clear from the messages that “sizeable sums of money were required to be exchanged for these firearms” - with the court later hearing how sums of £14,000 and €86,000 needed to be handed over for them.

Prosecuting Counsel Tom Forster KC said the case was about “organised crime on a high level” that began in January 2020 and ended in June 2021 when Kent, Byrne and Kavanagh conspired with others to assemble cash to purchase as many weapons as possible - namely handguns and machine guns to try and “achieve the lightest possible sentence”.

Mr Forster stated that Kavanagh “orchestrated the plot from prison”, where he was at the time serving a three-year sentence for possessing a stun gun, and facing proceedings over the conspiracy to import cocaine and cannabis. Kavanagh, they said, conspired with others to “assemble as many weapons and ammunition as possible” and to conceal them before finally revealing their location to the NCA.

The effort was an attempt to try and “fool the authorities” in a “put up job” to conclude that Kavanagh’s assistance was genuine and that he could be rewarded with a considerable discount to his sentence. Kavanagh was referred in the chats, which were uncovered by the NCA after Enchrochat was hacked into in 2021, as ‘Pops’ and ‘Big Head,’ - and the prosecution stated that there was “every likelihood” his plot would have been successful had the encrypted platform not been broken into.

The prosecution outlined that Shaun Kent “acted as the messenger boy” and took instructions from a middle man in prison about how and from whom the weapons could and should be acquired. Kent, they said, used Encrochat to relay messages to others, including Liam Byrne, and to give them instructions from Kavanagh.

In order to progress the plot Kent, first using the encrypted handle ‘Marcos Cafu’, “sought weapons from various sources,” for example, criminals in Manchester, the prosecution said. Liam Byrne, the prosecution said, was a “close associate” of Thomas Kavanagh and his brother in law, and was close to him and his family.

Byrne, who was described as a big cog in the machine, acted on instructions to acquire firearms and ammunition using an encrypted device using a variety of handles, including ‘Liquid Byrne’ ‘Gargler,’ and ‘Thai Live’.

A man who cannot be legally named because he is before the courts was described by the prosecution as being directed by Thomas Kavanagh to “drive plans forward” and used an encrypted handle to communicate and act as his “eyes and ears on the ground”. He told the others in encrypted messages that “10 big ones will be enough,” but ultimately “struggled” to acquire the weapons.

Kavanagh, the prosecution said, then became “increasingly frustrated by the efforts of the defendants”. On May 22, Shaun Kent, using an encrypted handle, messaged Liam Byrne to say that he (Bomber Kavanagh) will end up cracking heads mate” amid the continued effort to find weapons.

Some weapons then were acquired by Liam Byrne, the prosecution said, and Kavanagh’s desire to acquire more became “all the more urgent” as criminal proceedings against him before Ipswich Crown Court progressed. In a message to Liam Byrne, an encrypted user references weapons in a “flat” that should be left there until the sentencing stage when the ‘big things’ would then be handed up to the NCA.

Another man who cannot currently be named as he’s before the courts is alleged to have been asked in further encrypted messages seen by investigators if they are going to tell the NCA “he has tools in Ireland and the UK,” to which he responds: “Yes. Going on up North.” That man is also alleged to have stated: “He’s (Bomber Kavanagh) just out to save his own neck,” and claimed that Kavanagh had people “knocking on doors” to get “tools” (the firearms) brought over asap”.

The prosecution stated that it was clear from the face of these messages that an associate of Thomas Kavanagh was not just contacting people on Encrochat about getting the weapons, but that he was actually visiting other people’s properties about it too. Further messages between other associates reference the weapons being found in two hold-all bags and how the “papers put it down to the Kinahan cartel”.

The prosecution outlined how the 11 firearms were ultimately found buried in a field in Newry in two bags, as described. Further encrypted messages mentioned Byrne in relation to “40 small ones,” a reference again the prosecution said was in relation to securing firearms.

Shaun Kent, they said, spoke to a man on April 9 about acquiring “sweets”, a reference the prosecution said was in relation to ammo, and a skorpion machine pistol. On April 15, Kent relayed a message to Kavanagh about Liam Byrne - then referenced as ‘Gargler,’ - being unable to get the tools up to someone called 'the farmer'. There were messages again referencing “10 big ones” and how they would be enough.

On April 18, an associate was informed on Encrochat that Liam Byrne “could source glocks for £3,500 each,” and a message referencing how Byrne could “sort tools” was also sent. Kent sent Byrne a message asking Byrne to “keep on about locating them things” and in referencing Kavanagh’s increasing frustration told him: “Mate, try and get as many of them as you can. He needs them. Only chance he’s got of getting a good result out of this case.” Messages also referred to getting Byrne to meet with Kavanagh’s legal team, the prosecution said.

On May 12, an encrypted user sent Byrne a picture on Encrochat of a firearm in a case, the prosecution said, which was looked at by experts who considered it to be a “very new weapon with a magazine full of ammunition”. Byrne was told that there were seven of those firearms and that “rides” (transport) would be available.

On May 11 and 13, Byrne dealt with an encrypted user where he discussed the acquisition of the firearms - which were referred to as ‘tools.’ He got back in touch with that user on May 19 and asked if the tools had been supplied in ‘flat’.

On May 13, Byrne was sent a picture in an encrypted message of a handgun and a message about “10 big yokes”. On May 14, Kent, meanwhile, sent a message to another associate about obtaining 25 ‘things’ - i.e. firearms from the Netherlands.

On May 27, the prosecution said there were further messages about guns, in particular a reference to glocks. Kent, the prosecution said, sought to obtain firearms and ammunition in Manchester and in a deal with his contact on May 14, he told him he needed handguns. Kent was told in these messages that he could be supplied with anything - including RPGs.

The prosecution said he ordered three skorpion machine pistols and two handguns - and sought about securing an RPG.He purchased two 9mm magnum 44 spinner guns at a price of £14,000 and dispatched a courier to deliver the guns. Kent then informed Liam Byrne that he “just got three of them through our mate” and that he hoped to get five more in a week. Byrne, who was pleased, replied “ah deadly mate fair play, they will add up nicely”.

The prosecution said Kent then informed Byrne he was waiting on instructions via Kavanagh’s middleman in HMP Dovegate prison about “whether RPGs should be obtained”. There was, at this stage, a “greater deal of urgency” as the middleman was due to be moved out of the prison, the court heard.

Then it transpired that a weapon purchased from this person by Kent was in fact a plastic imitation firearm - namely a BB gun that was “weighted down” to give the feel of a real gun. This, the prosecution said “caused a considerable falling out,” and the seller ultimately agreed to give Kent back £7,500 “out of my own dough”. Kent then had to inform Liam Byrne what had happened - telling him that “them things I located, no good”.

The prosecution said the pair then continued to advance their plan - trying to find firearms for Kavanagh wherever they could be found. Encrypted messages after this asserted that Kavanagh was “not happy” and will “end up cracking heads. Now get on”.

In further messages on May 30, there were discussions about getting “items” “up north” and a message stating that “time is running out”. On May 31, an associate provided Byrne with a “new source of weapons” and further messages stated that he had “20 small cards” in 'flat’. In a message in response, Byrne asked the associate “how long” the weapons would sit there, and was told “until sentence I’d say”.

In another message exchange, an associate informed another that they now had “20 small yokes in flat” and that they “need paying for” at a price of €86,000. A message referenced talking to ‘Big Head’ and how he had someone knocking on his door and talking in code about tools. The associate said Kavanagh was under “pressure in there” on another level 23 hours a day, “waiting on court date, waiting on other yokes, madness”.

On June 13, Encrochat collapsed, and police around the world gained access to conversations between criminals. The prosecution stated that Kent circulated a message telling associates that the service had been “penetrated by a government agency” and warned them to physically dispose of their devices. At that stage, the “whole system went dark” but the prosecution asserted that further chats must have been inevitable because the plot progressed.

A year after that, Kavanagh met NCA officers from behind bars in Dovegate prison and gave them the information about the weapons which were ultimately found. The prosecution stated that possession of a prohibited weapon carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, and that in this case they submit that the trio have “high culpability” and should be sentenced at the top end of the scale.

Defence Counsel for ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh said he is effectively serving a 24-year sentence - three years for a stun gun and 21 years for conspiracy to import drugs, and asked the Judge to consider concurrent sentencing. They further stated that the financial cost to the taxpayer of bringing Byrne and Kavanagh to court every day is £30,000 a day - and had the matter progressed to trial, it could have cost a million pounds.

The Defence stated that “full credit” or close to it therefore be given to Kavanagh for his guilty plea, sparing the cost of such a trial. Jeremy Dein, defending for Byrne, meanwhile, stated that he “never wants to find himself in this position again” and that he “wants to find himself living a good and honest life”.

He further stated that Byrne has been with his partner Simoan McEnroe for 27 years and has three children aged 9, 14 and 24, who he has barely been able to see since being imprisoned. Mr Dein said Byrne is a “spray painter by trade” and was also involved in the buying and selling of cars.

While in custody, his father James ‘Jaws’ Byrne died - and he was “extremely distressed upon hearing that news,” Mr Dein said. He said his client was at that stage last month “barely able to communicate with anyone,” but he said his behaviour was “impeccable in the most challenging of circumstances”.

“He was sitting in court on the day of his father’s funeral unable to communicate with members of his family,” he added. Mr Dein said because of Byrne’s situation he could have “no dealings” with his father before he died. He further asserted that “a massive amount of public money and inconvenience has been saved” by Byrne pleading guilty and pleaded with the judge to sentence him to the minimum term.

Judge Katz told the court that he had not yet made a decision in the case and put the matter back to Tuesday, when he will impart sentence.

Sign up to the Irish Mirror's daily newsletter hereand get breaking news and top stories direct to your inbox.