Philip Waugh, a gangland boss from Liverpool, is set to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on 27 June for his involvement in a heinous acid attack orchestrated by hitman-for-hire Jonathan Gordon, a member of the Deli Mob. The incident, which nearly resulted in permanent blindness for the victim, Lee Deakin, highlights the extent of criminal enterprises operating within the region.
Gordon’s involvement in similar attacks across the north-west of England came to light through gangland conversations, where he offered his services for up to £10,000 to disfigure individuals as per his clients’ desires. The means of communication for these illegal activities was Encrochat, an encrypted phone network exclusively used by criminals before being compromised by Dutch and French authorities in 2019.
Philip Waugh, also known as AceProspect on the platform, was revealed to be involved in the illegal sale of military-grade weapons such as AK47 assault rifles and Uzi sub-machine guns to British crime groups. While not directly charged with the attack on Lee Deakin, Waugh faced charges of conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm by planning to blind another individual and engaging in discussions about orchestrating similar assaults through Encrochat.
Following intensive investigations and surveillance operations by law enforcement agencies, including the National Crime Agency, both Jonathan Gordon and Philip Waugh were apprehended. Gordon received a life sentence with a minimum term of 24 years for his crimes, while Waugh, in collaboration with his associate Robert Brazendale, was implicated in firearms offences. The apprehension of these individuals underscores the successful culmination of Operation Venetic to bring these dangerous offenders to justice
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