Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GANG BOSS WANTED MIGRANT DEATHS HAULIER ATTACKED IN PRISON
Text message threats sent by drug smuggler jailed for 14yrs
POLICE have foiled a planned prison attack on a Northern Irish haulage boss jailed over the death of 39 Vietnamese migrants.
A wealthy criminal involved in drugs and money laundering sent text messages in a bid to organise an attack on Ronan Hughes behind bars, it has been revealed.
Hughes, 41, from Co Armagh, a ringleader who supplied lorries and drivers, was paid £3,000 for each migrant who arrived safely in the UK.
He went on the run after 39 migrants were found dead in a lorry in Essex, but later admitted manslaughter and people smuggling and was jailed for 20 years at the Old Bailey.
Gang boss Thomas Maher, originally from Ireland but with an address in Warrington in England, was arrested after the bodies were discovered in October 2019.
The dad-of-three was the owner of the HGV involved.
He is now serving a 14-year sentence for helping gangs smuggle drugs and launder dirty cash.
Encrochat messages recovered by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed that Maher, who used the handle Satirical, had a particular interest in Hughes. A text from Maher to an associate of Hughes read: “Seen that m8 that’s the fella that bought the wagon.”
[Redacted1]: “Yea just came up as breaking news over here.”
[Redacted1]: “I’ll take it you’re mans xxxxxx.”
[Redacted2]: “That one them brothers been charged mate.”
Maher: “Yes m8 that’s the fella.” [Redacted2]: “Has he anything on u mate?”
Maher: “Only hear say m8. I’ll know if they lift me again over the next few weeks ha ha I’ll shower every night put on clean jocks before bed in case they do ha ha be a few days with out a shower but nothing to keep me for lol.”
[Redacted2]: “U be good they been
getting info out him last few months... Just need to carful we both do... Going away even them xxxxx from UK they follow u to the end off the earth.”
The following day Maher sent another message to contacts which read: “Have you anyone in [name of prison].”
One of the contacts replied: “I’ll ask what’s up?”
Maher replied: “I want to get a fella seen.”
He was asked: “Seen hurt you mean.” Maher replied: “Yes.”
The messages continued and Maher was asked if he wanted Hughes to know where the attack came from.
He replied: “Yeah, dragging me into this mess.”
When the NCA realised there was a credible plot to harm Hughes they intervened to protect him.
Police raided Maher’s Warrington home after the NCA gained access to the Encrochat network and realised he was implicated in serious crime.
Maher was then charged with conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm in relation to the messages.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, however admitted to conspiring to import drugs into Ireland in 2020.