Yorkshire gang who plotted to kidnap rival are jailed for total of 25 years

A group of men from Yorkshire linked to organised crime have been jailed for more than 25 years in total.
The Yorkshire Post
By The Yorkshire Post
Published 8th Apr 2024, 17:30 BST
Updated 8th Apr 2024, 17:31 BST
Philip Dean Wilson (top left) William Fuller McMillan (top right) Rivers Lee Willson (bottom left) and William Henley Davy (bottom right)Philip Dean Wilson (top left) William Fuller McMillan (top right) Rivers Lee Willson (bottom left) and William Henley Davy (bottom right)
Philip Dean Wilson (top left) William Fuller McMillan (top right) Rivers Lee Willson (bottom left) and William Henley Davy (bottom right)

A court heard four gang members aged 20 to 45 were linked to a group involved in a dispute with a rival organised gang.

In January last year, officers from the Organised Crime Unit of North Yorkshire Police carried out an investigation into a gang active in the Harrogate district.

They used a range of tactics to gather intelligence on some of the group, resulting in informationsuggesting a man had been kidnapped.

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

As Rivers Wilson, McMillan, Philip Wilson and two other gang members located and took the victim using force, William Davy went to the two addresses and recovered cash where the victim had stored it.

William Davy, having recovered the cash, communicated this fact with Rivers Wilson and McMillan and the victim was then released. Intelligence indicated the amount of cash stolen from the victim was £70,000.

The investigation found evidence to show that Rivers Wilson and McMillan had robbed a rivalorganised-crime group from West Yorkshire.

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

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

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 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, including Rivers Wilson and McMillan and recovered both their vehicles.

Rivers Lee Wilson, 23, of St Johns Walk, 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, 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, 20, of HMP Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. He has been jailed for three years and six months.

Philip Dean Wilson, 45, of Nora Avenue, Knaresborough, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. He has been jailed for 19 months.

Detective Constable Helen Quaife, of North Yorkshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “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.”