Liverpool men among UK's most wanted
They are believed to be hiding in Spain
Three of the UK's most wanted men in Spain all come from Liverpool.
Dean Garforth, Joshua Dillon Hendry and Mark Francis Roberts are each accused of different offences, ranging from Grievous Bodily Harm to large scale drugs trafficking and supplying firearms and ammunition.
The National Crime Agency's (NCA) Most Wanted campaign is run in conjunction with independent charity CrimeStoppers, Spanish law enforcement, UK policing and comes on the back of the extremely successful Operation Captura fugitives campaign, which resulted in the arrests of 86 offenders.
"Spain is not a safe haven"
Spain is one of the most popular countries for British ex-pats and the two nations have a very strong law enforcement partnership.
Today, Steve Rodhouse the NCA’s Director General of Operations was joined by the Security Minister Rafael Pérez Ruiz of Spain’s Interior Ministry, British Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliot and Mark Hallas, CEO of CrimeStoppers, at the campaign launch in Madrid.
Steve said: “Spain is not a safe haven.
“We have a brilliant relationship with the country’s various law enforcement agencies and work together daily to protect the public.
“With 86 offenders arrested in our last fugitives campaign, criminals know we will never give up and we’re never far behind them."
Mr Rodhouse has warned that the wanted men might be hiding within British communities abroad and may already be involved with Spanish criminal circles.
“Fugitives usually continue offending while on the run and these men will be known in criminal circles wherever they are", said Steve Rodhouse.
“The last thing the fugitives’ associates will want is the combined determination and capabilities of the UK and Spanish law enforcement focusing on them.
“Many of these fugitives will be trying to blend in to the large British communities who have made their homes in Spain, and if you are resident, you may know one of them from your town or village.
“Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them.”
All the men featured on the campaign are believed to have links to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands.
The wanted men
Joshua Dillon Hendry
6ft 2in tall.
Crime: He is accused of being a member of a Liverpool OCG and conspiracy to supply Class A Drugs. It is alleged he trafficked heroin and crack cocaine from Liverpool to Grimsby for onward distribution and controlled the phone line used for this. His mother and brother were convicted as part of the conspiracy. Hendry is also wanted over a separate drugs conspiracy to supply cocaine in May 2018 for which he was sentenced in his absence to 10 years' imprisonment in March 2019.
Mark Francis Roberts
From Liverpool. White, 6ft 1in tall, of medium build. Has a 7.6cm scar down his right leg. Heavy eyebrows, right handed; green eyes; potential scar on arm obtained during the attempted robbery.
Crime: He is accused of Grievous Bodily Harm and attempted robbery of a man's £60,000 Richard Mille watch. The victim was attacked by two men with a blade at around 1.30am on 30 September 2016 after he parked his car on his home driveway. The victim refused to surrender his watch and was so badly injured he suffered life-threatening injuries and was treated in a critical care unit for puncture wounds, a collapsed lung and many lacerations. The victim heard one of the attackers say he'd cut himself in the attack, and Roberts's blood was later identified at the scene.
Dean Garforth
Born in Liverpool. About 5ft 6in tall, white, of slim build, brown hair.
Crime: Garforth is allegedly involved in a well-established Organised Crime Group supplying significant quantities of cocaine and cannabis and involved in trading firearms and ammunition. It is alleged he used the now defunct encrypted comms platform EncroChat to facilitate these offences in and around the North West of England and that his OCG also adulterated the drugs before moving them on.
"We guarantee you’ll stay completely anonymous"
Rafael Pérez Ruiz, Minister for Security of the Spanish Ministry of Interior, said: “The campaign allows us to reinforce and strengthen police collaboration between Spain and the United Kingdom with the aim of creating a hostile environment which impedes criminal organisations from setting up in Spain and criminals from settling in our cities.
“Now more than ever it is necessary for everyone to join forces to give a coordinated and effective response to new security challenges.”
Lord Ashcroft, founder of the charity CrimeStoppers UK said: “We know it can be difficult for people to speak up about crime, which is why our charity is here to give you an option.
“We guarantee you’ll stay completely anonymous, just like the millions of people who have trusted our charity with their crime information since we were formed back in the 1980s.
“Please do the right thing by passing on what you know about these fugitives’ whereabouts and help us ensure these criminals are no longer a danger.”
Anyone with information about one of the Most Wanted is urged to call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, and callers in Spain should call the freephone Spanish number 900 926 111, which will be answered by CrimeStoppers in the UK (using translation if required).
Alternatively, members of the public can fill out an anonymous online form at the UK charity’s website