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Court told Kinahan cartel boss Liam Byrne is ‘connection’ between two firearm plots

The 43-year-old appeared via video link alongside his brother-in-law Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh

Today at 12:54

Senior Kinahan crime figure Liam Byrne has been described in a UK court as the connection between two firearm conspiracy plots.

The 43-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey in London today via video link after being extradited from Spain last month.

Byrne and his brother-in-law Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh (56), described as the cartel’s ‘top man’ in the UK, are facing charges over a weapons plot which was busted after the Encrochat messaging service was compromised by authorities under Operation Venetic.

Both men watched proceedings this morning from HMP Belmarsh and only spoke to confirm their names while two co-accused, Liverpool men Daniel McLoughlin (36) and Shaun Kent (37), also appeared via video link.

During the hearing barrister Max Baines, prosecuting, said that the matter relates to two firearms conspiracies “connected by a common defendant, that being Mr Byrne”.

He is accused of conspiring with McLoughlin and others unknown to possess firearms and ammunition between April 29 and May 28, 2020.

Byrne is also charged with conspiring with Kent, Jack Kavanagh and Peter Keating to possess firearms and ammunition between January 1, 2020, and June 3, 2021.

Both Byrne and ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh were expected to be arraigned today but this was adjourned because of an application to join other charges against their co-accused to their case.

The court was told that Shaun Kent is facing charges in Manchester which are “closely connected to the main firearms conspiracy in this indictment.”

Mr Baines said there are “overlapping messages that are relied on in this matter” and that there is a “clear factual nexus” for the cases to be joined together.

He added that they expect an objection from Byrne’s lawyers for these charges to join his case, and that his legal team are also seeking the disclosure of the Manchester evidence which is in a “virtual pack” and contains messages from third party handles.

The prosecutor also said that a suggestion at a previous hearing that Thomas Kavanagh would bring forward an application to dismiss charges against him “appears to have fallen away”.

The presiding judge said that, in order to allow the defendant’s time to oppose the application and for the disclosure of evidence, she would adjourn the matter until March 1.

A trial date has also been set for September with the case expected to last up to six weeks.

The men are also accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice between 2020 and 2021.

This relates to “a series of acts, namely possess firearms and thereafter hide them and then reveal their whereabouts to the National Crime Agency to enable Thomas Kavanagh to receive a reduced sentence on Operation Hornstay with the intent to pervert the course of justice”.

Kavanagh is currently serving a 21-year jail term for conspiring to import £30m worth of cocaine and cannabis into the UK and was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of that operation.

His son Jack Kavanagh was detained in Spain last year and is currently fighting extradition.

Byrne had been residing in Dubai but flew in to Spain last May for a family gathering where he was arrested on foot of an extradition warrant. He was returned to the UK last month.

His younger brother David was shot dead in the Regency Hotel in 2016 as part of the Hutch/Kinahan feud which claimed 18 lives.

A trial date has been set for September 2024 with the case expected to last up to six weeks.

The previously heard that the investigation centres on Encrochat communications and information received about firearms, some of which were hidden in Ireland.

This related to 11 firearms and that information was allegedly provided in relation to the location of weapons which were concealed in the Republic of Ireland.