Philip Waugh said “Acid him and his bird… Just need him blind and face melted”
Jonathan Gordon, left, and Philip Waugh plotted to stab and blind another man(Image: NCA)
These are the vile texts sent by two Merseyside gangsters as they plotted to stab a rival in the legs and blind him with acid. Philip Waugh, 40, asked known “Deli mob” enforcer Jonathan Gordon to throw acid in the face of Nathan Simpson, saying: “Just need him blind and face melted.”
Waugh, formerly of Warrington, offered Gordon £20,000 to blind both Simpson and his girlfriend as he suspected Simpson of sharing information on Encrochat. He told Gordon: “He needs never be able type on these again.”
Waugh, who used the encrypted network to organise his criminal activities, became the target of an international manhunt in 2020 when the NCA discovered an unidentified British crime boss advertising military-grade weapons.
Using the handle AceProspect, the gangland boss offered two AK47 firearms, a Skorpion machine gun, an Uzi machine gun, a range of pistols and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Operating from Spain, Waugh arranged for the guns to be smuggled into the UK, where they would be picked up by his “trusted quartermaster” Robert Brazendale, 38, in Warrington.
Robert Brazendale was Philip Waugh’s right hand man(Image: NCA)
At Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, September 26, prosecutor Alex Leach said: “It is clear that Philip Waugh was recruiting Jonathan Gordon to conduct a number of organised criminal attacks, for their collective commercial gain.
“It is also clear that, in addition to relying upon Robert Brazendale to transfer firearms on his behalf, Philip Waugh also relied upon Robert Brazendale to act a quartermaster for Jonathan Gordon – in this instance supplying him with acid with which to attack Nathan Simpson.
“Moreover, when discussing the use of acid, Philip Waugh told Jonathan Gordon that he would be paid £10,000 if the attack blinded Nathan Simpson. Jonathan Gordon agreed to do so.”
Encrochat messages sent between Waugh and Gordon were read to the court. On April 6 2020, Waugh brought up the plan to carry out an acid attack on Nathan Simpson.
WAUGH: The kid u was meant shoot in the car u can acid him
WAUGH: Or the kid who u shot house up last
WAUGH: If u want Warrington jobs instead closer
GORDON: Wot you think then bro Warrington one first
WAUGH: Me jock mate
WAUGH: Asking if you want do that one
GORDON: Ye but want get this out way for you first bro
WAUGH: Sounds like they got it right he got spotters on street
The pair discussed a number of potential targets, and Waugh sent Gordon an image of Nathan Simpson’s home address and a Google Street View image of his house. That same day, Gordon arranged the collection of acid from Brazendale, and told him stolen number plates (skates) were being fitted to the car to be used.
BRAZENDALE: You on way mate
GORDON: Just putting skates on car now then going be bout half hour bro
BRAZENDALE: OK mate I’ve got to go out at half 4
GORDON: We be their b4 then bro
BRAZENDALE: Sound
The acid was collected by two “foot soldiers”, Dylan Johnston and Stephen Wissett, on the orders of Gordon. At 5.21pm, a CCTV camera outside Nathan Simpson’s address captured a black Ford Fiesta driving by. Three minutes later, Gordon contacted Waugh to say he had arrived.
GORDON: We at his now bro
GORDON: Going sit off for bit
GORDON: Could nock on but is he going watch CCTV first
GORDON: Wot you think bro
WAUGH: dunno bro he might not be in n out cos of this
GORDON: Cars here
WAUGH: He in deffo
WAUGH: He got bird as well
GORDON: That wot mean blazing sitting off really isn’t it
WAUGH: Yeah bro
WAUGH: Wat u got hi vis n wat else
GORDON: Nothing really just that bro
GORDON: Could come back first thing jeans and glasses on
WAUGH: Your call bro
The Ford Fiesta was captured on CCTV again at 5.32PM, and was later captured on the M62. The following day, at 12.33pm, uniformed police spotted the car parked on Roxburgh Street, Kirkdale. The occupants of the car fled on foot, and the vehicle was seized after it was examined and found to be carrying false number plates.
Black clips guns seized by the NCA(Image: NCA)
The seizure of the vehicle meant plans were delayed. But by April 12 2020, Waugh was still determined to see the acid attack go ahead.
WAUGH: Bro I really need this kid doing
WAUGH: He’s giving info to wizz now
WAUGH: He needs never be able type on these again
GORDON: Who is it bro
WAUGH: Him who u sat off at
GORDON: Don’t mess ye
GORDON: Tuesday morning we there bro
WAUGH: Maybe stab him bro as well in leg
The two then discussed another man, Lee Deakin, whom Gordon had partially blinded in an acid attack in April 2019. The 37-year-old’s eyesight was only saved due to extensive surgery and the fact that he was able to shower off the acid quickly after the attack took place.
WAUGH: That other kid on Granada reports ran to sink washed quick saved his sight
GORDON: Lost me bro
WAUGH: Just need let him cook for a couple minutes
GORDON: Oh ye
WAUGH: Did u do the kid in hummer?
GORDON: Ye
WAUGH: C*** ran to sink
WAUGH: But was 50/50/
GORDON: We got him outside bro to uno
WAUGH: Little longer
WAUGH: Think his bird helped him
GORDON: Had little wrestle with him to
WAUGH: Double the dose bro
WAUGH: On this one
The following day, April 13, Gordon asked Waugh to send the address details for Nathan Simpson again. The two continued to discuss their acid attack plans over the next two days, with Waugh telling Gordon: “Please nail the c***”.
However, at 7.48pm on April 15, Waugh contacted Gordon with a news article about an “unexploded bomb” being found on Birtles Road, Warrington, and the attendance of police in the area. As a result, they decided it was too risky to go ahead with the acid attack that day.
On April 25 2020 Waugh contacted Gordon again to ask about the attack on Nathan Simpson.
WAUGH: U there bro
WAUGH: If I get location on this kid
WAUGH: U game for it
WAUGH: GP silencer
WAUGH: I pass u fresh one after
GORDON: I see bro
GORDON: See were he is bro
WAUGH: Bro can u boot door off
WAUGH: Acid him and his bird
WAUGH: U av flatten him gonna be 2 much u might get had for it
WAUGH: Just need him blind and face melted
WAUGH: I just remembered he meant got a house cheap off some kid
WAUGH: Maybe he in there I finding out wat I can now bro x
WAUGH: Sheep wants u get on him WhatsApp
WAUGH: Saying call off soneones phone
GORDON: That’s why I haven’t phoned him bro
WAUGH: It sweet bro
WAUGH: Look if I get this house can you boot off
WAUGH: Acid him and bird proper
WAUGH: Blind em both
WAUGH: 20k?
GORDON: Ye see were is bro
Waugh raised the topic of the assault against Nathan Simpson again on May 4, and again on May 8.
WAUGH: Bro u ready go for this quiff
WAUGH: I got few ppl on it now
WAUGH: F*** the straps
WAUGH: Stab him in legs and rub acid all over his face
WAUGH: In his eyes proper
He continued to badger Gordon about the attack on May 12 and May 20 2020. On May 21, Waugh sent an address to Gordon and the two discussed obtaining a car and avoiding detection. However, no attack was ultimately carried out.
Operation Venetic, a National Crime Agency investigation into the Encrochat network, led to the arrest of Waugh at a villa he rented in Benahavis, Malaga, in September 2024.
He was extradited to the UK and brought to Liverpool Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on the importation of prohibited weapons, conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons, possessing a prohibited weapon, and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Firearms seized by the NCA(Image: NCA)
Brazendale, formerly of Edward Street in Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons, possessing a prohibited weapon, and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Waugh was sentenced to a total of 26 years and eight months in prison, with an extended licence of five years due to dangerousness, making a total 31 years and eight months.
Brazendale was sentenced to a total of 11 years and four months in prison, with an extended licence of four years due to dangerousness, making a total of 15 years and four months.
Jonathan Gordon was sentenced in June 2022 to life in prison with a minimum of 24 years and eight months.
Firearms seized by the NCA(Image: NCA)
Ben Rutter, NCA senior investigating officer, said: “Waugh’s sentencing is extremely welcome and is the result of huge amounts of work by NCA officers who persisted tirelessly for five years to trace, locate and bring him to justice under Operation Venetic.
“Waugh only cared about making a lot of money. He supplied an array of automatic and semi-automatic weaponry to offenders who were planning horrific crimes and had no regard for public safety. He didn’t care at all about who might be killed in the process.
“The NCA and policing partners went into overdrive when we discovered Waugh’s gun list, doing everything possible to find and seize them. We will continue to do everything we can with partners at home and abroad to prevent organised crime groups trafficking firearms.”
