Perry Culshaw used encrypted communications platform EncroChat to source weapons
A drugs and firearms trafficker desperately fled to Portugal when the net began to close in on him. Perry Culshaw utilised encrypted communications platform EncroChat to source an ‘arsenal’ of weapons while also trading wholesale quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the 31-year-old, of Johnston Avenue in Bootle, escaped to Europe after the network was infiltrated by French police during 2020.
But he then “effectively surrendered himself once he knew he had no chance of further escape”, with Alex Langhorn, prosecuting, describing how he then spent 23 days in custody abroad before being extradited back to the UK, the ECHO reports.
Culshaw was said to have plotted with the likes of Darren Herlihy and Mark Nolan in sourcing and selling drugs and guns. They were taken down by a National Crime Agency probe, with the former, aged 55 and from Melling, having utilised the handles “Robust Bronze” and “Master Castle” and the latter operating under the name “Jerry Coke”.
Nolan acted as an agent and broker for another user, selling firearms on his behalf. This saw him purchase a Tec-9 automatic pistol with between 200 and 400 rounds of ammunition, a Star 9 pistol with 50 rounds of ammunition and a Walther PPK with 50 rounds of ammunition.
He then sold the firearms and ammunition onto Herlihy, who in turn supplied the weapon onwards to other criminals. The 38-year-old, who lived on a barge in Burscough, also conspired to supply 2kg of heroin and 136kg of cannabis, with Nolan being involved in deals to supply at least 22.5kg of cocaine, 57kg of cannabis and 3kg of heroin.
Paul Becker, defending Culshaw, told the court: “The defendant is going to be receiving today the longest sentence he has received. In terms of his previous offending, he has a poor record.
“I understand that he had a difficult childhood. His parents were heroin addicts. It was not a good start to life. He had no guidance. He was kidnapped by his uncle when he was 13. He was kept for days and beaten.
“It set him on the wrong road, and perhaps gives an insight into how Perry Culshaw comes before the court for serious offending. He has training in plastering. He expresses his remorse to the court. He knows the impact of class A drugs and firearms.
“It is a little bit like a military arsenal. It is one thing to have weapons. Whether he had possession of them and whether he would have used them are two different things. He knows he has done wrong and knows what the sentence is going to be today.”
Culshaw admitted conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and ammunition and conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey Under Armour tracksuit, he shook his head as he was jailed for 19 years.
Nolan previously received 20 years behind bars, with Herlihy being handed 12 years. Sentencing Culshaw, Judge Simon Medland KC said: “Your trade, your way of life, your source of income and your business at that time was as an upscale drug dealer. You were prepared to consider the sourcing, so as to have available if necessary, deadly firearms.
“Drugs destroy lives. There is barely a week which has passed during my 33 years working in these courts where that has not been plain to me. They corrode society. They break up families. They cause utter devastation in often deprived communities.
“Likewise, those who operate within the drug supply trade are often prepared to consider the use of deadly firearms. This city and this region has suffered all too often the devastation caused by the use of deadly weapons by serious organised criminals such as you.
“You believed yourself to be invincible and communicated with frankness of the trade you were in. You escaped to Portugal, but effectively surrendered yourself once you knew that you have no chance of further escape.”