Drugs gang boss caught after carving his nickname into tree

Shane Unwin, also known as Mr Onion, was one of six men locked up for a total of 26 years and 10 months today, Tuesday, after being convicted in connection with Cheshire Police’s Operation Spartans.

The covert investigation took down 11 county lines gangs which peddled more than £1million of heroin and crack cocaine on the streets of Warrington.

Among them was the Onion line, of which Unwin was boss – and which was named after his soundalike moniker.

When the police operation was first opened in November 2020, the Merseyside-based organised crime group was the most prolific heroin and crack cocaine in the town and had been established for around three or four years.

He previously became known to officers in part because he had carved his nickname into a tree in Sankey Valley Park, a popular dealing location for the gang.

This inscription read ‘2020 Onion ov Longy Huyton’ – a reference to his native Longview estate – alongside a message stating ‘**** the drug squad’.

Unwin dealt drugs wearing an £800 Canada Goose jacket alongside right-hand man Callum Cargin, with the county line travelling into the town for criminal purposes on an almost daily basis.

Callum Cargin

Users had their homes used as bases for selling and storing drugs in order to pay off drug debts or in return for cash or illicit substances.

In May 2021, officers raided one such house on Leicester Street in Whitecross and seized a quantity of drugs, some packaged into £10 deals and others in bulk quantities, as well as £1,300 in cash.

Unwin and Cargin were present in the address, as were street runners Jack Murphy, Elizabeth Andrew and Nicola Ryder.

In the six months leading up to this date, the OCG had been responsible for the supply of 1.4kg to 2.9kg of heroin and crack cocaine – drugs with a street value of between £122,000 and £244,000.

The jail terms which were handed down today:

• Kris Bamford, 36, of Whitecross Road in Whitecross – admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and was jailed for three years

• Callum Cargin, 26, of Huyton – admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and was jailed for six years and eight months
• Paul Ellis, 56, of Rixton Avenue in Bewsey – admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and was jailed for two years and eight months

• Darren Houghton, 49, of Trafford Avenue in Bewsey – admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and was jailed for three years

• Jack Murphy, 20, of Liverpool – admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and was jailed for three years

• Shane Unwin, 27, of Huyton – admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and was jailed for eight-and-a-half years

Sentencing the members of the Onion Line to a combined total of 26 years and 10 months, Recorder Andrew Menary said: “It was plainly a very successful operation.

"It's impossible for me to be sure about the total quantity of heroin and crack cocaine traded, but there is evidence that significant quantities were being sold – hundreds of deals a day.

"Although at its core this was street dealing, this offending is made significantly more serious by a number of features.

"This was county lines trafficking, which involves a degree of business sophistication that street dealing does not contain – pernicious though it is.

READ MORE: The sentencing of the Onion Line gang as it happened

"Each of you has been part of a conspiracy.

"The greater your awareness of the scale of the enterprise, the greater your culpability.

"You were each involved in a miserable trade, causing misery to so many people in the Warrington area.

"Some of you have been involved in the misuse of drugs for many years and know the misery it inflicts."

Andrew, of Huyton, was handed a 15-month imprisonment suspended for a year in October 2021 after the 52-year-old admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine while 31-year-old Ryder, of Widnes, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and was jailed for 30 months.

Nichola Ryder

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy was walked free from the dock having pleaded guilty to contempt of court.

He was detained after filming gang members from the public gallery as they were led down to the cells.

The judge added: "I accept that this was simply foolish, stupid, impulsive behaviour.

"If you take a photograph of court proceedings, then there is a real risk that person will be sent to prison.

"Because of your age, I'm not going to take any further action against you.

"There will be no further penalty for it.

"Bear in mind what has happened today, it is a lesson to you."

Members of eight other rings are set to be hauled before the courts for sentence over the rest of this week.

One such gang, known as the Paul Line, was also due to be sentenced today.

But this was adjourned until next month due to a lack of court time.

Led by 25-year-old Stephen Brett, the OCG was at one time the most prolific heroin and crack gang in the town.

He directed operations from his home in the Knotty Ash area of Liverpool, with conspirators travelling between the city and Warrington in order to transfer cash and drugs for sale.

The ring was known to operate in Bank Park and the Latchford area.

Earlier this month, 13 members of the Long Haired Luke 2 gang – which was also brought down by Operation Spartans – were caged for nearly 60 years.