The dad-of-three was unmasked following his detention on a European arrest warrant
A football and boxing coach’s secret identity was revealed after he was arrested in Europe. Terence Culshaw secretly trafficked wholesale quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis using the handle “TopGolfer” on encrypted communications platform EncroChat before the service was inflitrated by the French police during 2020.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Monday, that the 44-year-old was linked to the account after cell siting data established that the device had been “most used in the vicinity” of his then home on Altmoor Road in Huyton. One received message on March 26 that year meanwhile read “does Terence fancy a nice run?”, while in others he referenced his partner’s name and the fact that he drove a Volkswagen Golf.
His associates also stored the handle under the names “Tez C” and “T Cul” in their contact lists. Culshaw also further shared a picture of himself with the user “JumboLinks” on one occasion.
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Henry Riding, prosecuting, described him as being “undoubtedly close to the source of importation”, citing one message in which he stated that an associate had “landed 800 tops” and “wanted him to take a lump”. His communications overall showed an involvement in the supply of 16kg of heroin, 2kg of cocaine and 1kg of cannabis.
This included discussions with Calm Tea, previously unmasked as Graham Minards, concerning a quantity of 4kg of diamorphine. The 37-year-old, of Canella Avenue in Norris Green, was previously locked up for 15 years in 2023.
Culshaw was belatedly detained on a European arrest warrant last year and spent 102 in custody abroad before being extradited back to the UK. He has nine previous convictions for 13 offences, including receiving 32 months for possession of cannabis with intent to supply in 2012.
Patrick Cassidy, defending, told the court: “His partner and himself have three sons. He plays a full part in their upbringing.
“His family are a talented sporting family, and the boys have shown promise in football and boxing. It is an area in which he has worked over the years, being involved in a boxing club and managing football teams in the area. It is another side to Mr Culshaw.
“At the moment, the family is suffering greatly from illness. His father is acutely unwell, his mother is ill and both of his sisters having long term illnesses as well.”
Culshaw admitted three counts of conspiracy to supply heroin, conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for 15 years and two months.
Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “You had a ready source of and the infrastructure necessary to supply these drugs on to other customers. Bearing in mind the commodities being described and the abject misery and devastation caused by this activity, the messages exchanged could have been talking about any legitimate commodity.
“The reason why these messages are so mundane is because you thought this activity would never come to light. You felt able to discuss highly criminal activity, despite the illegal profits being made and the high stakes for which you were playing, because you thought you would never be caught.
“You have three children, and you will miss out during important periods of their growing up. References indicate that you are someone who has another side and who is capable of being a decent member of the community.”