Acid Attack Man Paid £6K per Hit, Charged for Blinding Attempt
Jonathan Gordon, 34, was charged with carrying out a horrific acid attack for £6,000 and £10,000 for nearly blinding a victim. The thug took orders via the encrypted platform EncroChat from an unknown crime boss linked to a ruthless organised crime gang (OCG).
Brutal Attacks Across Liverpool and Beyond
Gordon launched a container of acid in a man’s face in Milton Street, St Helens, on April 14, 2019, temporarily blinding the victim. Thankfully, the man recovered his sight months later. Identified by the victim in an identity parade, Gordon, a Kirkdale resident with no fixed address, was caught red-handed.
But this was just the start. EncroChat messages reveal Gordon planned further acid hits in Blackpool and Warrington. The Blackpool attack was cancelled due to lockdown fears and police spotting a stolen car.
On April 6, 2020, Gordon with cohorts Dylan Johnston, 27, and Stephen Wissett, 28, drove a stolen Ford Fiesta to Warrington’s Birtles Road intending to throw acid. They aborted after spotting CCTV, but attempted again the next day – only to be stopped by police.
Gunfights, Grenades, and Drive-By Shootings
Gordon’s criminal rampage included street gunfights. On January 24, 2020, he fired shots in Liverpool’s Wilburn Street. Days later, a bullet from his gun shattered a bedroom window in an elderly couple’s home on Carisbrooke Road after a late-night shootout.
DNA evidence linked Gordon and his cohorts to these scenes. Police also uncovered a grenade left in the garden at Birtles Road, which was safely detonated by bomb squad officers.
He even helped organise a drive-by shooting in Warrington on March 20, 2020, blasting windows and firing the same gun used in previous attacks.
Crackdown and Justice Coming Soon
Following long investigations under Operation Venetic, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) alongside Merseyside and Cheshire Police, Gordon and Johnston were found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court. Wissett had already admitted conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
All three face sentencing on June 15th.
“Jonathan Gordon is a very dangerous criminal. His actions were particularly heinous; he had no qualms about blinding victims for money,” said Ben Rutter, NCA Operations Manager. “This was a lengthy, complex investigation, and the officers worked tirelessly to ensure justice.”
