Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

The Iceman cometh, his smartwatch told the cops: Hitman jailed after gizmo links him to Brit gangland slayings

Killer behind bars for life after fitness kit data tips off plod

Avid runner and hitman Mark Fellows was this week found guilty of murder after being grassed up by his Garmin watch.

Fellows, 38, was convicted of the murder of two men by Liverpool Crown Court in England. His accomplice, Steven Boyle, 36, said to have served as a spotter in one of the killings, was also convicted of murder.

Evidence presented by Crown prosecutors against Fellows included CCTV footage, phone data, and location data that indicated a lengthy reconnaissance of one of his victims.

Described by the Liverpool Echo as a fitness fanatic, sous-chef, and family man, Fellows – known by the nickname "Iceman" – was suspected of murdering Paul Massey, 55, an underworld figure from the city of Salford. Massey died in a fusillade of bullets on July 26, 2015, outside his home.

The murder last year of a Massey associate, Paul Kinsella, 54, helped investigators break the case, which is said to revolve around a gangland feud. Kinsella was killed on May 5, 2018, by a masked gunman on a bicycle wearing a high-visibility vest.

cops

Baltimore cops: We flew high-res camera planes to film your every move

READ MORE

The vest and bicycle, with distinctive yellow markings and black tape, were easily spotted on CCTV footage. So too apparently was Fellows, which prompted detectives to search his home where they found a Garmin Forerunner watch.

The watch "provided key evidence for the Massey case," the Liverpool Echo says.

Searching through the device's GPS data trail, investigators found Fellows had been conducting reconnaissance near Massey's home on April 29, 2015. After scouring mobile cell site data, CCTV, and vehicle license plate reader data, detectives found a car that belonged to Fellows had been driving past Massey's house at least two times a day in the week prior to the killing.

Boyle, cleared of involvement in the Massey murder but convicted in the killing of Kinsella, made matters worse for Fellows by giving testimony – "grassing" in British English or "snitching" in American parlance.

The BBC and Liverpool Echo both report that Fellows made a throat-cutting gesture, and mouthed the word "grass" to his former associate in the witness box.

Fellows was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Thursday; Boyle received a sentence of 33 years to life. ®

Similar topics

Similar topics

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like