These are the defendants from our region who were locked up over the past seven days
From left; Joel Cantrell, Ryan Finlay and Paul Smith(Image: Merseyside Police)
A taxi driver with a secret online identity, a laughing drug dealer and former cage fighter Paul “Boom Boom” Cahoon were among the Merseyside criminals jailed over the past seven days. Also locked up was a man who “lost his head” and fought with security staff at a pole dancing club.
Meanwhile, Liverpool Crown Court heard that a Mercedes driver told the police that he “felt arlarse” after leaving three young victims seriously injured in a crash after a funeral. Here are the faces of seven defendants from our region who were locked up over the last seven days:
Andrew McIntyre
Andrew McIntyre(Image: Merseyside Police)
A copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf was discovered inside a taxi driver’s home after his secret online identity was revealed. Andrew McIntyre published a string of “sickening posts” on messaging app Telegram following the fatal stabbings of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last summer.
This included calling for the Home Secretary to be hanged and inciting violent action before rioting erupted in the seaside town, Liverpool city centre and Walton. He also told his followers after one such ugly episode: “Well done last night lads. To all you heavy hitters, are you ready for round two?”
McIntyre admitted encouraging or assisting an offence and possession of a bladed article in a public place. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a dark grey jumper and sporting short dark hair and a beard, he showed no reaction as he was jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
Anthony Campbell
Anthony Campbell pictured when he was jailed in 2019(Image: Merseyside Police)
A Mercedes driver told the police “I felt arlarse, but what can I do?” having caused “devastation” following his best friend’s funeral. Anthony Campbell left his three young victims, who were driving to McDonald’s after also attending the wake at a pub, seriously injured when he ran a red light and ploughed into their Audi at speeds of up to 70mph.
One man was left with a bleed on the brain as a result, while a woman and a teenage care worker suffered fracture pelvises. The banned driver, who had walked free from court over a motorbike chase with officers a matter of months earlier, has now branded the episode “a bad day from start to finish”.
Campbell admitted three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and breaching a suspended sentence order. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he sat with his arms folded as he was jailed for three years and four months and banned from driving for a total of four years and four months.
Paul Smith
Paul Smith(Image: Merseyside Police)
A dad with “another side” sent a picture of his bum to an undercover police officer he believed was a 13-year-old girl. Paul Smith engaged in a series of lewd chats on Snapchat and messaging app Kik, telling the supposed teenager that he “had a thing for bad girls”.
But, unbeknown to him, he was being caught in an online sting by a decoy profile. A judge has now told the Jaguar Land Rover worker, who was previously caught with a collection of indecent images of children, that he has thrown away his “chance to change”.
Smith admitted attempted sexual communications with a child and four counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. Appearing in the dock wearing a navy blue suit and glasses, he nodded as he was jailed for 20 months.
Ryan Finlay
Ryan Finlay, 29, of Parbrook Road in Huyton has been jailed for three years and nine months(Image: Merseyside Police)
A drug dealer laughed and told his family “see yous this year” as he learned how long he will spend in prison. Ryan Finlay became involved in an operation which saw cocaine trafficked from Merseyside to Scotland only a day after he had walked free from court for an offence of dangerous driving.
He was allegedly put to work in the “Scouse Nay” county lines gang after being held responsible for the seizure of £4,000 in cash by the police. The graft phone used by the class A ring was later found in his girlfriend’s pocket when officers came knocking at his door.
Finlay pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and, when asked whether he admitted breaching his suspended sentence order, replied “if you say so”. Appearing in the dock wearing a turquoise Nike t-shirt, he was jailed for 45 months.
Paul Cahoon
Paul Richard Cahoon
Former cage fighter Paul “Boom Boom” Cahoon spent nearly a decade on the run in Dubai as one of Merseyside’s most wanted men before he was caught after suffering a brain injury. A “senior figure” in a gang which trafficked tens of thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and amphetamine between Liverpool and South Wales, he then spent more than a year in custody in the Middle East before his extradition back to the UK.
During his time on remand, the now 47-year-old claims he was not allowed outside for three months, repeatedly assaulted and forced to sleep on the floor. Cahoon says he was “humbled” by the “traumatic experience” and claims that he “couldn’t wait to see” the police officers who returned him home to face justice
He had faced a jury accused conspiracy to supply cocaine and amphetamine, but changed his plea to guilty during the second day of his trial. He was sentenced to nine years and three months in prison.
Lee Blowes
Lee Blowes(Image: Merseyside Police)
A man “lost his head” and ended up in prison after a visit to a pole dancing club. Lee Blowes attacked a security guard with a glass after allegedly sexually assaulting a worker.
He then walked away from the scene threatening “you don’t know who we are”. It came only months after he had brandished an axe during a scuffle inside a pub as shocked customers watched on in horror.
Blowes admitted two counts of affray, possession of a bladed article in a public place and criminal damage. He was jailed for two years and given a three-year restraining order.
Joel Cantrell
Joel Cantrell(Image: Merseyside Police)
A teenage boy was left scarred for life after he was viciously stabbed at a beauty spot when an argument over a vape erupted during post-exam celebrations. Joel Cantrell subjected the youngster to a “completely random and unprovoked” assault with a knife before casually taking a train home and having a takeaway.
A judge today told the weapon-obsessed thug it was “extremely fortunate that his [the victim’s] injuries were not much more serious”. His victim meanwhile says that “what should have been one of the happiest days of his life” instead became “something he will carry with him for the rest of his life”, for all of the wrong reasons.
Cantrell admitted wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article in a public place. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey Nike tracksuit and sporting short dark hair, he was sentenced to two years and 10 months in a young offenders’ institute and handed a 10-year restraining order.