Four men from Harrogate and Ripon jailed for over 25 years after police uncover robbery and firearms plot

The court heard how the gang members were linked to an organised crime group who had been involved in a dispute with a rival organised crime group.

- Rivers Lee Wilson, aged 23, of St Johns Walk in Bridlington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon – he has been jailed for 10 years and two months

- William Fuller McMillan, aged 24, of HMP Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a prohibited weapon – he has been jailed for 10 years and eight months

- William Henley Davy, aged 20, of HMP Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery – he has been jailed for three years and six months

- Philip Dean Wilson aged 45, of Nora Avenue in Knaresborough, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender – he has been jailed for 19 months.

Between Friday 6 and Monday 9 January 2023, officers from the Organised Crime Unit at North Yorkshire Police carried out an investigation into a suspected organised crime group that was active in the Harrogate district.

As part of the extensive investigation, the police used a range of tactics to gather intelligence on some of the group members resulting in information being gathered suggesting that a man had been kidnapped and held against his will.

Through police enquiries, it was established Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan were preparing to kidnap the victim and extort him for money, believing that he had a large amount of cash stashed in two addresses in Harrogate.

Information was obtained that Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan were planning to use force against the victim and items such as taking pliers had been voiced.

At the time, Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan, Philip Wilson and two other gang members had located and taken the victim using force, while William Davy attended the two addresses and recovered cash from where the victim had it stored.

Philip Wilson allowed his vehicle to be used to kidnap the victim and commit the offence.

Following the kidnap, Philip Wilson arranged for the disposal of his vehicle to destroy any forensic evidence.

William Davy, having recovered the cash, communicated this fact with Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan and the victim was then released.

Intelligence indicated that the amount of cash stolen from the victim was approximately £70,000.

The investigation found evidence to show that Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan subsequently and unknowingly at the time had robbed a rival Organised Crime Group from West Yorkshire.

Further intelligence led officers to believe that Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan and another gang member were arranging to source a sawn-off shotgun and live ammunition.

They then jointly sourced the firearm and ammunition in order to cause fear to those who sought retribution having had their cash stolen by the gang.

A police helicopter was deployed and used to track the gang as they were travelling with the firearm and live ammunition and believed they were getting their ‘crew’ together in readiness to confront the rival gang.

At this point, armed response officers actioned a hard stop of one of the vehicles and detained three members of the gang which included Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan and recovered both their vehicles.

Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan and another gang member were ordered to get out the vehicle at gun point and were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to kidnap.

Both Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan’s vehicles were forensically examined, and a long package was recovered in the back seat of Fuller McMillan’s vehicle.

Examination of this package showed that it contained a sawn-off shotgun, with four live shotgun cartridges.

The shotgun was heavily wrapped in a bin bag and paper.

In a further search, seven more shotgun cartridges were found wrapped in a balaclava within a boxing glove in the vehicle.

Detective Constable Helen Quaife, of North Yorkshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “We have seen nationally how the use of weapons used by feuding gang members can devastate families and communities.

“This type of crime will not be tolerated in North Yorkshire.

"The sawn-off shotgun was viable and along with its ammunition was intended to be used.

“This investigation was conducted meticulously with a large number of enquiries conducted dealing with witnesses, forensics, CCTV and specialist expert evidence.

“The sentences imposed on these gang members illustrates just how serious these offences are taken.

“I hope this will be a warning to others who think the use of weapons will be tolerated within our communities.

"We will intervene, and people will be punished, to keep our communities safe.”

If you have information relating to Serious and Organised Crime, you can report it via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or to North Yorkshire Police by calling 101.