John Kinsella (criminal) explained

John Kinsella was an English criminal from Everton, Liverpool.^[1] He was shot dead in May 2018 by killers using encrypted EncroChat handsets to co-ordinate the murder.

Early life

He was an expert in judo and jujutsu, and was originally from Everton.

He was a criminal associate of gangster Paul Massey and a pallbearer at his funeral.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Criminal history

In 1991, Kinsella was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to nine years' imprisonment for attempted robbery and carrying a firearm with intent to commit an offence.^[5]

In 2006, he was involved in a robbery in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and was put on trial for it in 2008.^[6] During the trial, the jury was read a letter from the father of Steven Gerrard saying that Kinsella had stopped his son from being threatened by a criminal, George Bromley Jnr, known as "The Psycho" in 2001.^{[1] [6] [7]} When, during the trial, Kinsella was allowed into the court grounds during a lunch break, he absconded.^[6] He was convicted in his absence and sentenced to 14 years.^[6] He was subsequently arrested in February 2009.^{[6] [8]}

Kinsella's death was the result of a gang feud begun in 2015 between two rival criminal organisations in Salford.^[4] One gang, headed by Michael Carroll, had Mark Fellows and Steven Boyle as members.^[4] The rival gang, said to be headed by Stephen Britton, called itself "the A-team".^[4] Kinsella and Massey were associated with the latter gang.

Death

Kinsella was shot dead on 5 May 2018 near St Helens Linkway in Rainhill by Mark Fellows.^{[1] [3] [9]}

Fellows was found guilty of the murders of both Kinsella and Massey in January 2019.^{[3] [9]} Stephen Boyle was convicted of murder for his part of acting as a "spotter" in the murder of John Kinsella.^{[3] [9]}

It was later revealed during the investigation that the murder of Kinsella was organised by means of EncroChat devices.^{[10] [11] [12]}

Notes and References

1. News: Underworld enforcer named as St Helens shooting victim . 6 May 2018 . 2 July 2020 . BBC News.
2. News: Exclusive - the moment murdered John Kinsella carried Paul Massey's coffin at his funeral . Keeling . Neal . 31 May 2018 . Manchester Evening News.
3. News: Hitman guilty of murdering Salford 'Mr Big' Paul Massey . Perraudin . Frances . 16 January 2019 . 6 July 2020 . The Guardian.
4. News: Gangland feud led to double murder of underworld 'Mr Big' Paul Massey and mob 'fixer' John Kinsella . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/paul-massey-john-kinsella-gang-mr-big-mob-uk-court-murder-a8653321.html . 13 June 2022 . subscription . live . Hurst . Pat . 26 November 2018 . 7 July 2020 . The Independent.
5. News: Who was John Kinsella? 'Gangland fixer' who helped Steven Gerrard shot dead . Thomas . Joe . 6 May 2018 . 6 July 2020 . Liverpool Echo.
6. News: Fugitive Gerrard 'fixer' arrested . 28 February 2019 . 2 July 2020 . BBC News.
7. News: Court cuts confiscation bill of Steven Gerrard 'fixer' . 23 March 2011 . 2 July 2020 . BBC News.
8. News: Gangland hitman gets life term for murder of Salford 'Mr Big' . The Guardian . Perraudin . Frances . 17 January 2019 . 7 July 2020.
9. News: 'Mr Big' Paul Massey murder: Hitman gets life in jail . 17 January 2019 . 2 July 2020 . BBC News.
10. News: Staff. 26 November 2018. Underworld duo 'murdered in gangland feud'. BBC News.
11. News: Hughes. Janet. 21 May 2019. The £3,000 a year encrypted mobiles with kill pills used by gangs. Gloucester Citizen.
12. News: Hamilton. Fiona. 2 July 2020. Hundreds of arrests as police crack phone network used by crime bosses. The Times. 0140-0460. His trial was told the hits were co-ordinated using Encrochat on a device which cost £1,500 for a six-month contract and was sold on websites visited by those engaged in crime..