Liam O’Brien was detained in South America earlier this month and is awaiting extradition back to the UK
Christopher O’Brien outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A man has admitted helping a suspected drugs and firearms trafficker to flee the country. Liam O’Brien, formerly of Leyfield Road in West Derby, was arrested in Colombia earlier this month and is awaiting extradition back to the UK.
Christopher O’Brien, of Mill Lane in Old Swan, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Thursday, November 27, charged with perverting the course of justice, a charge which states that he “arranged to take Liam O’Brien out of the country and assist him to evade arrest”. Wearing a dark blue Ralph Lauren jumper in the dock, the 40-year-old pleaded guilty to this count but denied a further offence of money laundering.
Bonnee Stockton, of Montpelier Drive in Dingle, meanwhile pleaded not guilty to a separate count of perverting the course of justice, which alleges that she “gave National Crime Agency officers an incorrect telephone number and travelled to Dubai with her daughter to visit Liam O’Brien”. But the 32-year-old admitted the charge of money laundering.
Bonnee Stockton leaving Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Both are now scheduled to face a trial back before the same court, beginning on November 2 next year. A further hearing was also scheduled for January 29, with the two defendants being released on conditional bail.
Adjourning the case, Judge David Potter told them: “Your cases are now adjourned to a further review on the 29th of January. The trial has now been fixed for the 2nd of November. You are now both released on conditional bail.”
Bonnee Stockton after leaving Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The ECHO previously reported Liam O’Brien was one of two British men held in Colombia in connection with an investigation into the supply of class A drugs and firearms. The 41-year-old and 54-year-old Robert Taylor, of Exeter Road in Wallsend, Tyneside, were detained at a property in Medellín on November 12.
Liam O’Brien was arrested by police in Colombia
O’Brien is accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, MDMA and cannabis, conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to transfer a prohibited weapon, money laundering and perverting the course of justice.
Taylor was meanwhile wanted by Northumbria Police after he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years behind bars in his absence in February last year for drugs offences and money laundering.
Their cases both relate to Operation Venetic, the NCA-led response to the takedown of encrypted communications platform EncroChat during 2020.
The force’s deputy direction of international Rick Jones said at the time of their arrests: “We’re immensely grateful to Colombia’s National Police for their work to help trace and locate these men and take them into custody.
Christopher O’Brien outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“These arrests continue to show the NCA’s global reach, its close partnerships with both UK and international police forces and our unwavering determination to ensure UK fugitives are returned to face justice. Other fugitives should do the right thing and hand themselves in, because we will do everything possible with partners at home and abroad to find them.”
O’Brien and Taylor were reportedly detained by a specialist anti-narcotics unit, with Colombian police stating both men were suspected of acting as agents on behalf of the Irish Mafia in their dealings with the Clan Del Golfo, the world’s biggest producers and distributors of cocaine.
Robert Taylor has been arrested by Columbian Police and will be extradited to the UK
Brigadier General William Oswaldo Rincón Zambrano said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “In Medellín, Policia Colombia, in coordination with Interpol, managed to detain two British citizens for extradition purposes, allegedly members of a transnational drug trafficking network, wanted by the authorities of England for the crimes of drug trafficking, arms trafficking, money laundering, and acting as front persons.
“According to the investigations, the detainees have links to the Irish Mafia, responsible for coordinating the trafficking of narcotics to the United Kingdom in alliance with the Clan del Golfo. We continue to strengthen international cooperation to combat criminal structures that threaten global security.”
The Clan del Golfo have long term links with European trafficking gangs and are said to have direct ties to the Kinahan Cartel, a major Irish organised crime syndicate.
Northumbria Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Marc Michael added: “Taylor’s arrest is another example of how we work with partners not just in the UK but around the world to make sure that individuals face justice.
“There are no hiding places for those involved in criminality in the north east and beyond. Criminal networks often seek to profit from the most vulnerable members of our communities before reinvesting their money into further illegal enterprises.
“Anyone with any reports on suspicious activity or concerns should always report them to us, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.”
