A 'foolish' drug dealer who flaunted a shotgun and arranged bullets to display his initials has been caught amidst a substantial drugs conspiracy. Merseyside Police linked Joshua Caldwell to the illegal activity after uncovering pictures of guns on a seized phone, including one shocking image of an old French handgun with bullets laid out to spell: "F*** Dingle rats."

The probe resulted in the confiscation of nearly £120,000 worth of heroin and cocaine, along with several firearms. Caldwell, who is already behind bars with a 15-year stretch, found himself back in court after he was discovered with cocaine concealed in his undergarments while on parole. In the course of this fiasco, a Rolex was also stripped from the wrist of his girlfriend, as covered by the Liverpool Echo.

It was disclosed at Liverpool Crown Court that police were cruising past Caldwell's residence on Harrismith Road in Fazakerley at about 3.30pm on March 2 when they spotted him entering a Vauxhall automobile. The 34 year old appeared "nervous" upon being confronted by the officers, who also could not verify who owned the car, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Prosecutor Derek Jones narrated how this incident prompted a search of the man's property, leading to the seizure of four "golf ball sized" wraps of cocaine and £2,035 in cash from the bedrooms. Officers also took notice of a Rolex gracing his partner's wrist, which Caldwell claimed he had bought for her.

The watch, valued at around £4,000, was also confiscated. Following his arrest, the defendant voluntarily handed over additional bags of drugs and a mobile phone hidden in his underwear.

During questioning, Caldwell remained tight-lipped, only telling detectives that the money was "a gift from his birthday", which was due two days later. His criminal history reveals two previous convictions for four offences, including a two-year stint in a young offenders' institute in 2009 for possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply, and a 15-year sentence in 2016 for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

As previously reported by the ECHO, the latter sentence was linked to an investigation that began in the summer of 2014 after a handgun was brandished during a dispute at the Park Cafe on Elmswood Road in Aigburth. One of Caldwell's associates displayed the firearm in front of members of the public, including a child, and declared: "This is my f***ing patch."

Police raids on a gang's hideouts unearthed a treasure trove of illegal items, including high purity heroin, cocaine, and an array of deadly firearms. In one flat on Woodlands Road in Mossley Hill, officers found an antique St Etienne revolver from 1886 stashed in a Nike bag, a sawn-off Beretta shotgun under the floorboards, and bullets hidden inside a desk box.

Another gang member was caught with a Remington pistol and a phone full of menacing images threatening their rivals, along with photos of three unaccounted-for weapons. The ringleader, Caldwell, was nabbed in January 2015 with two Blackberry phones that held damning evidence, including a photo of him brandishing the Beretta before it was modified. His distinctive eyebrows led to his identification in the image, as pointed out by Michael Scholes for the prosecution.

Despite being bailed, Caldwell was re-arrested at his Garston residence where police seized over £15,000 in cash, scales, lists, and drug gear. His defence argued against him being the mastermind, claiming no true "Mr Big" would be so "bloody stupid" as to pose with a weapon. Caldwell, who was recalled on licence with no release expected before 2030, has made a troubled return to court. Defending counsel Peter White relayed Caldwell's claims: "Quite simply, he tells me that he was released approximately two years ago. He has initially done very well.

"He entered into a steady relationship. He has assisted with her personal responsibilities and cared for her grandmother. He has engaged with mental health services. He tells me that he has had a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from incidents while he was in custody.

"He accepts, quite simply, that he fell back into his old ways and got drawn back into this circle. He holds his hands up to that. He can only apologise. They had plans to start a family together. His future looks somewhat bleak, given he potentially has another five years left on licence.

"He does have an unattractive record. There does appear to be another side to him, however. He has, at least partially, demonstrated that he can stay out of trouble. There are significant gaps in his offending." Admitting to possession of cocaine with intent to supply alongside two counts of possessing criminal property, Caldwell received a prison sentence of 2,035 days via video link to HMP Altcourse on Tuesday.

The judge handed down a minimum seven-year sentence for a third drug trafficking offence, reduced by 20 per cent due to a guilty plea. Recorder Richard Pratt KC remarked during sentencing: "This was by no means the first time you have been involved in the supply of drugs.

"It is a point of regret, needless to say, that the severe sentence you received in 2016 did not have the lasting effect it ought to have had upon you. Having lost a good proportion of your 20s, you are now, inevitably, going to have to spend a fair bit of time in your 30s in prison, which, I am sure you appreciate more than anybody, is a waste of your life."