Killer’s handler, ‘Winter Barber’ and drug dealer who shot man in the head sentenced to prison

A drug dealer who shot a man in the head but was cleared of murder has been jailed. Following a trial, Shay Walker was acquitted of the murder of Peter Hale, who died on February 4 this year, aged 50, four days after suffering a single gunshot wound at his home in Haslingden Close, Old Swan.

The 26-year-old defendant is said to have told his victim: “I brought it for you motherfuckers” before pulling out a gun and shooting him over a £500 drug debt after the deceased and his siblings apparently smoked crack they had been given for sale . He admitted to being the gunman, but said he was “joking” and “didn’t think the gun was loaded.”

Walker was unanimously found not guilty of murder by a jury of six men and six women, as well as the lesser charge of manslaughter and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, after six hours and three minutes of deliberations. The convicted drug dealer had previously pleaded guilty to possessing prohibited weapons and ammunition without a certificate.

Judge Freedman, who presided over Walker’s trial, sentenced him to seven years and one month in prison. This sentence included five years and four months for the firearms offenses and 21 months for breaching a suspended sentence handed down in July 2023 for possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Jordan Foster and Joshua Bednarek

The gang locked another man in a hotel room and attacked him, breaking his eye socket and one of his teeth. Jordan Foster, Joshua Bednarek and Callum Higgins met their victim on a night out and invited him back to their hotel before beating him up and stealing his bank card and phone.

All three men pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and theft, and Foster pleaded guilty to a further assault. He was sentenced to 35 months in prison, Bednarek to 32 months and Higgins to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months.

James O’Keefe and Kerry Russell

A Liverpool gang exploited vulnerable teenagers to sell drugs in Cheshire, West Mercia and Scotland. James O’Keefe controlled multiple drug lines from his prison cell at HMP Risley, enlisting children to carry out risky drug dealing operations on his behalf.

Kerry Russell and Ruby O’Keefe were also involved in a far-reaching drug and child abuse network. All three pleaded guilty to offenses of modern slavery and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

James O’Keefe also pleaded guilty to charges of supplying Class B drugs and possessing a prohibited article in prison. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Russell was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. Ruby O’Keefe was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for a year.

Martin Taylor

A man who was caught throwing “bullets” at police has been sentenced to prison. Martin Taylor was jailed for two years and four months for his role in violent scenes in Southport in July.

Mark Nolan and Darren Herilhy

Two criminals selling Class A drugs and firearms have been sentenced to prison following an investigation by the National Crime Agency. Mark Nolan, 55, and Darren Herlihy, 38, used the encrypted messaging platform EncroChat before it was taken down in 2020.

Nolan, who used the ‘RobustBronze’ and ‘MasterCastle’ door handles, was jailed for 20 years at Liverpool Crown Court. Herlihy, who used the pseudonym “JerryCoke”, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Nolan acted as another user’s agent and broker, selling firearms on his behalf. He purchased a Tec-9 automatic pistol containing 200 to 400 rounds of ammunition, a Star 9 pistol with 50 rounds of ammunition, and a Walther PPK with 50 rounds of ammunition, and then sold the weapons to his co-defendant.

Herlihy, who lived on a barge in Burscough, then supplied weapons to other criminals. He also conspired to supply 2kg of heroin and 136kg of cannabis, while Nolan was involved in transactions to supply at least 22.5kg of cocaine, 57kg of cannabis and 3kg of heroin.

Harris Vinten

A man was jailed after his dog attacked a three-year-old girl and caused her serious facial injuries. Harris Vinten’s pit bull attacked a girl outside the Market Tavern pub in Kirkby.

As a result of the incident, the girl suffered serious facial injuries that required treatment at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The 32-year-old owner was arrested at the scene and later admitted driving the dog, which was dangerously out of control and caused injuries.

Vinten was closed for 16 months. He was also banned from owning dogs for four years.

Jayne Hill

A caregiver who hit her 90-year-old patient on the head with a metal butt and then smothered her with a pillow has been sentenced to life in prison. Jayne Hill sat in her car smoking cigarettes outside Myra Thompson’s home in Bolde Way, Spital, Wirral, waiting for the lights to go out in the pensioner’s bedroom.

Then, under the cover of darkness, the 52-year-old entered the address and brutally murdered an elderly woman. It comes after the killer, from Norwich Drive, Upton, was caught red-handed stealing cash from OAP, having previously stolen necklaces and a gold ring from other service users in her care.

Hill, who wore a white bubble coat over a turquoise top and dyed red hair, previously pleaded guilty to murder and four counts of theft and sat with her head bowed throughout today’s hearing in court. She showed no reaction as she was sentenced to life imprisonment of at least 22 and a half years.

Carl Murphy

The priest called the drug dealer “a man full of humanity and kindness,” but the judge disagreed. Carl Murphy trafficked huge amounts of cocaine and manipulated hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash under the pseudonym “WinterBarber” on the encrypted messaging platform EncroChat.

Murphy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering. Appearing via video link from HMP Altcourse, wearing glasses, a black jacket, white shirt and tie, he was jailed for 10-and-a-half years.

Passing sentence, Judge Ian Harris said: “(Your priest) described you as a man of humanity and kindness. Supplying drugs at the level you did is certainly not humane or kind. It was completely selfish and motivated by money.”