A taxi driver who completed deliveries for the NHS during the height of the Covid pandemic has been jailed for his role in a major heroin and cocaine ring.
In court, the family of Kevin Rimmer could be heard gasping "oh my God" as the 57-year-old was jailed. On the side, he had been acting as a courier for the conspiracy led by two brothers, which involved the trafficking of hundreds of kilograms of class A drugs worth millions of pounds across the country.
Rimmer's trips, supposedly for the NHS, were used as cover for transporting drugs and cash in case he was stopped by the police amid lockdown restrictions.
A court heard the defendant, whose son was a promising Everton Academy footballer, was also responsible for storing heroin and cocaine and "handled large quantities of cash" - up to £100,000 worth - and "was responsible for monitoring stock levels".
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The brothers who led the gang, Vincent and Francis Coggins, plotted a ruthless vendetta of violence after a raid on their stash house by rival gangsters saw them lose in the region of £1million of illicit substances.
Francis Coggins remains on the run, while his 58-year-old brother and several other men have been jailed. Rimmer was also jailed - for 16 years - after admitting two counts of conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply cocaine, as well as possession of heroin in relation to a small quantity of the class A drug which was seized upon his arrest.
People in the public gallery at Liverpool Crown Court said "oh my God" at the sentencing, which happened in October 2022 but can only now be reported due to the media blackout imposed due to the series of other trials.
Alex Leach KC, prosecuting, said Rimmer, a former postman, was courier for the operation, and regularly stored heroin and cocaine. However, the court had heard how Rimmer, from Huyton, Merseyside, had acted as carer to his 87-year-old mum at the time.
Andrew Alty, defending, said Rimmer - who also previously worked for the Royal Mail and was a dad to four children including 17-year-old twins, one of whom was said to have played for Everton's academy - was "somebody who had clearly worked hard throughout his life" and "at all times was acting under the direction of others". Mr Alty said: "This is going to be a horrendous time for him. His life is effectively over now."
Vincent Coggins, from West Derby, Liverpool, Paul Woodford, 58, of Kirkby, Merseyside and 48-year-old Michael Earle, from Huyton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to commit blackmail. They were imprisoned for 28 years, 28-and-a-half years and 11 years respectively.
Dean Borrows, 39 and from Aughton, Lancashire, 46-year-old Darren Tierney, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, 60-year-old Paul Fitzsimmons, of West Derby, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin. They were handed respective terms 14 years and three months, 12 years and nine months and 12-and-a-half years.
Paul Glynn, from West Derby, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine. The 59-year-old man was given 11 years and two months. Edward Jarvis, from Anfield, Liverpool, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and blackmail. The 59-year-old man will be sentenced at a later date, Liverpool Echo reports.
Francis Coggins has not yet been apprehended but is wanted by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit. He is believed to be abroad in Europe.
