Coggins brothers’ £4.3m ‘chief financial officer’ arrested in Amsterdam

The Coggins brothers’ “Chief Financial Officer” was arrested in Amsterdam.

Paul Fitzsimmons played a “critical role at the heart of the conspiracy” led by Vincent and Francis Coggins, which involved the trafficking of hundreds of kilograms of Class A drugs worth millions of pounds across the country. Members of the organized crime group also set out on a ruthless revenge spree of violence after a raid on their home by rival gangsters saw them lose £1 million worth of illicit substances to the region.

A series of court cases heard in the last four years were subject to a media blackout until this week, after the conclusion of the trial of co-conspirator Edward Jarvis. Details of Fitzsimmons’ sentencing hearing last August can now finally be reported.

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Liverpool Crown Court heard on this occasion that the 61-year-old arranged couriers and transactions with buyers on behalf of Coggins and acted as their “accountant, accountant and banker”. Alex Langhorn, prosecuting, said: “He was effectively the finance director of the operation.”

Fitzsimmons, of Birch Tree Court in West Derby, would “answer directly to Francis Coggins” in the role. Using the handle ‘NorthKnee’, he was personally involved in the handling of £4.3m in cash and the supply of 87kg of Class A drugs at a ‘conservative estimate’.

The grandfather has a total of eight previous convictions for nine offences, including possession of drugs with intent to supply in 1984, but has not been before the courts since 2006 before his involvement in Coggins OCG. Fitzsimmons spent 94 days in custody in the Netherlands following his detention abroad before being extradited back to that jurisdiction.

Alex Rose, defending, said on his behalf: “The main role, we accept, was that he was employed to count or record the money gained by the conspiracy. He was sometimes trusted to handle large amounts of cash and drugs.

“We assume he played a managerial role. We accept that although this was his primary role, his secondary role did involve some degree of leading others.

“We accept that he acted as an intermediary between couriers. The instructions came from above, there was very limited autonomy.

“He gets his hands dirty. He is physically involved in moving the money.”

Mr Rose added that his client was not involved in discussions following the raid on Paul Glynn’s home, which resulted in a “million pound loss”. He told the court: “The robbery of the house controlled by Mr Glynn is very important in this conspiracy.

“Those communicating directly about this include Mr Jarvis, Mr Woodford and Mr Burrows. Mr. Fitzsimmons was not at the table at any time for any of these conversations.”

Meanwhile, Fitzsimmons was said to have suffered “deteriorating health”, while his ex-wife “also suffers from severe mental illness”. Mr Rose said: “When he was in this country he paid for private treatment.

“His instructions are that he was recruited in January 2020 at a time when she was in a very bad way. His wages were significant.

“That’s why he became tempted at that point. It’s been a long time since he was convicted of anything.

“He has done a lot of good in the past. One of his daughters was burned in an accident.

“He became determined to get her the best treatment and became involved in a campaign to save a burns unit from closure. Playing this role, a supporting role for his estranged wife and trying to save a hospital and be a good father, is in the starkest possible contrast to the crime for which he is about to be convicted.

“He asked that none of his family attend because he is ashamed.”

Fitzsimmons admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years and given a five-year serious crime prevention order to start on his release.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones described the conspiracy as being operated on “a fairly massive scale”. He said: “It ended after the investigation into EncroChat data.

“You were only recently prosecuted for going to the Netherlands. You had to be extradited, the process started last October when you were arrested by the Dutch authorities in Amsterdam.

“It’s very clear that you played a leading role. Your role, by any measure, was critical to the conspiracy.

“You’re basically the right-hand man of one of the bosses of this organized crime group. You have been in extensive contact with Francis Coggins.

“You’ve played a number of roles. You cared and supervised the bank.

“You have, in fact, performed an accounting role. In my opinion, the term CFO is an accurate one to reflect a critical role at the heart of the conspiracy.

“You were placed close to Francis Coggins at a very high level of trust to play a wide range of important roles.”

Vincent Coggins, 58, of Woodpecker Close in West Derby, Paul Woodford, 58, of Marl Road in Kirkby, and Michael Earle, 48, of Wallace Drive in Huyton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to commit blackmail. They were jailed for 28 years, 28 and a half years and 11 years respectively.

Dean Borrows, 39, also of Ledson Grove in Aughton, and Darren Tierney, 46, of Chatham Street in Stockport, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin. They were handed terms of 14 years and three months and 12 years and nine months.

Kevin Rimmer, of Blacklow Brow in Huyton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin. The 57-year-old man was imprisoned for 16 years.

Paul Glynn, of Croxdale Road West in West Derby, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine. The 59-year-old man received 11 years and two months.

Edward Jarvis, of Breckside Park in Anfield, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and blackmail. The 59-year-old will be sentenced at a later date.

Francis Coggins has not yet been caught but is wanted by the North West Regional Organized Crime Unit. He is believed to be abroad in Europe.

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