THE day before he was arrested for his part in the industrial-scale importation of cocaine Jonathan Cassidy went online to buy a £22,000 bed. But, as one member of GMP's organised crime unit said: "He'll never sleep in it".
The purchase was made as Cassidy was in Paris on his way back to the UK from Dubai, and was to have furnished a bedroom in his villa in the UAE. He had fled to the United Arab Emirates when the encrypted EncroChat network-a WhatsApp for criminals - was cracked by French intelligence services in summer 2020. Police are unsure why he returned to the UK later that year. He may have thought he was lucky, and that the police had not penetrated his phone.
But, when he arrived at Manchester Airport on October 17 2020, he was arrested. A multimillion pound drugs empire he had built with his brother, former Liverpool FC starlet, Jamie, and business partner, Nasar Ahmed, from Bury, collapsed.
The scale of the business was reflected in Jonathan's lifestyle trappings. A clip shows the former builder filming himself driving around Dubai. The phone camera zooms in on the Lamborghini crest on the steering wheel, and then pans to a Louis Vuitton bag next to him stuffed with cash, and the £250,000 Richard Mille watch on his wrist. On his arrival in Dubai he instructed property agents to find him a villa. His budget was £2.5m.
He and his brother Jamie - who had played in the same Liverpool youth team as Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher-invested their drugs money on property.
Their partner in crime, Ahmed, of Moreton Road, Elton, Bury, had previously been jailed for two years at Manchester Crown Court in October, 2001 for possession of a firearm and assisting an offender.
That conviction followed a shooting at a nightclub in Astley Bridge, Bolton, in 2000 which resulted in the shooter, Wayne McDonald, being jailed for life in 2010 after spending years on the run.
Denne historien er fra March 24, 2024-utgaven av MEN on Sunday.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 24, 2024-utgaven av MEN on Sunday.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
We are fragile but we cannot overreact-Pep
PEP Guardiola says that City cannot afford to overreact to their worst ever run under his management as they look to stay in touch with Premier League leaders Liverpool.
IT’S TOO EASY TO SCORE AGAINST US’
PEP Guardiola says City have multiple problems as opponents find it too easy to score against them.
Spurs man on the hole’ in City middle
JAMES Maddison has explained that he was able to exploit the lack of presence in City's midfield to score a goal that he has been working on all season.
Rubet! Amorim up for United challenge
RUBEN Amorim is relishing the 'huge responsibility' of taking United back to the top as the new head coach prepares to take charge for the first time at Ipswich.
'Ruthless' Ruben won't be all smiles as he gears up for first game at helm
\"I CAN be ruthless when I have to be,\" said Ruben Amorim on Friday afternoon.
Teenage star Chido on target once again
CHIDO Obi-Martin was again among the goals as United's Under-18s continued their stunning form and a new star emerged.
Tourist traps top visitor spend table
SEPARATED by the Pennines and nearly 100 miles, the historic city of York and the seaside resort of Blackpool are worlds apart in their appeal to tourists.
Wind farm expansion plan set to create new turbulence
Proposals would create biggest turbine development in England
Rail services may take 'three years to improve'
THE largest rail company in the North of England has warned that it will take up to three years before its services are up to scratch.
Thug forced kids to help in drug deals
A MAN who used 'vulnerable' children to help him deal drugs has been jailed.
