Grandad went to watch Reds face Manchester City but ended up in a prison cell over secret EncroChat plot
A former ticket tout was arrested entering Anfield Stadium for a Liverpool FC match and ended up facing nearly two decades behind bars.
In return, Bennett organised for a driver to receive the consignment. This included providing a burner phone for his recruit before "taking the blower off him" afterwards. The 39-year-old, of Downside Close in Netherton, was described as the "pull out man" and was said to have been involved in a previous importation of 150kg of the class A substance through his employment with Peel Ports. Bennett told the user "SinCityGold" in one message on April 26: "They done one a few months ago, 150 on it."
Cell siting data then suggested a meeting between McQuade and Murphy near to Gilmoss Industrial Estate in Fazakerley. A day later, Bennett was involved in the handover of 2kg of cocaine to McQuade for a price of £37,000 per kilo "as an incentive to cement their business relationship". He also described having "done a job a few years ago from Ecuador", smuggling drugs into the port in a container of tinned tuna. The worker said he could "take up to 500kg" and discussed the "use of legitimate companies and replica seals".
Murphy's "quid" was said to amount to £1,000, while "pan" is believed to have been a reference to Panama. As part of this arrangement, Bennett was to keep 10kg for onward supply and was said to have handed over £97,000 in payment for these drugs. The messages ended on June 5 2020, when Full Flock told Bennett he was "waiting to hear from Brazil, who had told him they would load tonight".
These were then taken to the home of Dale Campbell on Hillside Drive in Woolton and unloaded. There, the barrels were cut open and had their contents removed. Bennett was arrested on October 3 2021 upon entering Anfield ahead of LFC's 2-2 draw with Manchester City. His wallet contained a quantity of cash but no credit cards or identification, while he was only carrying a "burner" mobile and no smart phone.
"In relation to the Holland conspiracy, his was an operational and logistical role in making contact with the driver and assisting with transportation. He has an additional 2kg of the 97kg from which he would obtain a further reward. "If you spent five minutes with Bob Bennett, it is very difficult to understand why he is here. He does not fit in in the way he presents himself, as someone you would expect to see in this way.
"There is no aggressiveness, no bravado, no personal feuds, absolutely no suggestion of violent activity. None of this excuses what he did. McQuade meanwhile has three previous convictions, including for assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2004 and inflicting grievous bodily harm in 2013. David Birrell, appearing on his behalf, said: "What the court is really dealing with is an ongoing course of conduct whereby he was providing a service - a pull out service to recover, extricate and hand over drugs that were imported into the docks.
"Tragically in 2011, when the children were just six and four, their mother and his partner died of breast cancer. The defendant was still a young man. To his credit, he raised his children alone with the assistance of other family. He did a good job of it. Andy Black, senior manager for the National Crime Agency, said following Wednesday's sentencing: "Bennett was a highly sophisticated and professional international trafficker. He had global contacts and had clearly managed to stay off the radar for a long time.
Crime Huyton Netherton Fazakerley Woolton Tuebrook Litherland Anfield Stadium Liverpool FC
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