Two men who were offered £100,000 by a 'Mr Big' to kill someone over a debt have been sentenced to life in prison.
Connor Palmer and Craig Miller were contacted by a major Dubai drug dealer and tasked with carrying out the hit.
They were told that the target was based in Birmingham and had failed to to pay 'Mr Big' what he owed them.
But rather than doing it themselves, Palmer and Miller 'sub-contracted' the killing out to another criminal, Elijah Stokes, who completely messed it up.
Advert
Wearing a ski mask, a pair of gloves, a Tesco jacket, and a high vis, the 38-year-old went to the victim's home in Sheldon on 29 May, 2020.
And despite shooting them five times, the the man managed to survive.
This all happened while a young child and the victim's girlfriend, who actually opened the door to the Stokes, were at home.
Following the botched hit, all three men were arrested.
Advert
And during a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (6 June), Palmer, 40, Miller, 37, and Stokes, who had previously introduced them to 'Mr Big', were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.
The trio were subsequently sentenced to a combined total of 80 years in prison.
Presiding over the case, Justice Pepperall said: "I am satisfied so that I am sure that far from being relieved that he had survived, you, Connor Palmer and Craig Miller were embarrassed that this hit had been bungled and keen to reassure (The Dubai drug dealer) that you could complete the mission.
"In EncroChat messages sent the day after the shooting, the WhiteStuff handle used by you expressed disbelief that he had not died, quickly turned to discussion of other hits that might be carried out to order, and then offered to 'go again' within two weeks."
Advert
Miller was also convicted of a second count of conspiracy to murder after agreeing to kill a different man, promising that 'clips would be going in his head'.
He was quickly caught by a Franco-Dutch Joint Investigation Team after they exposed the plot by cracking the EncroChat thread in 2020.
"You Connor Palmer and your co-defendant, Craig Miller, were professional hitmen who worked together," said Justice Pepperall.
"You were each prepared to kill complete strangers to order for a fee of £100,000.
Advert
"You went about your business with ruthless efficiency and showed no compassion whatsoever for your potential victims."
Justice Pepperall concluded that Stokes, who was described as a 'loyal and trusted lieutenant' of 'Mr Big', had offered to provide a gun and car for the hit.
This, the Justice said, was a clear indication of 'the lengths you were prepared to go for your boss in order to ensure that you continued to enjoy the material benefits of your chosen criminal life'.
Describing the trio as 'very dangerous men', the judge sentenced Palmer, from London, to life with a minimum of 23 years behind bars.
Similarly, Miller, of Surrey, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 30 years.
Advert
And Stokes, from Coventry, was sentenced to 27 years, with a minimum of 18 years before he is eligible for release.
Dominic Smithers