Salford gangster Jamie Rothwell gets life for drug and gun
Jamie Rothwell, Anti-A Team leader, sentenced to life on 13 Aug 2025 for drug and gun crimes Donald Tong : Pexels

Jamie Rothwell, a notorious Salford gangster and key figure in the Anti-A Team, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years at Manchester Crown Court on 13 August 2025 for orchestrating a string of drug and gun crimes.

The high-security court lockdown, enforced by armed police, underscored the severity of his criminal influence.

Rothwell's violent gangland activities have left a lasting mark on Greater Manchester, with his sentencing closing a chapter on one of Salford's most feared crime syndicates.

Who is Jamie Rothwell?

Jamie Rothwell, aged 38, emerged as a central figure in Salford's underworld, leading the Anti-A Team, a splinter faction of the city's infamous A-Team gang.

Born in Salford, Rothwell's criminal career escalated during the violent gang feud from 2014 to 2019, marked by shootings and stabbing.

Operating from the Netherlands and Spain, Rothwell used the encrypted EncroChat platform under the handle 'Live-Long' to direct operations.

An X post from @MENnewsdesk on 11 August 2025 stated, 'The full details of Anti A-Team gangster Jamie Rothwell's criminality has finally emerged.'

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply 36kg of cocaine, valued at £3.6 million ($4.8 million), conspiracy to supply ketamine, and conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition.

Arrested in Barcelona in May 2020 after fleeing the UK, Rothwell told the court, 'I'm tired of the life of crime.'

His transfer to HMP Wakefield, known as Monster Mansion, underscores his status among Britain's most dangerous offenders.

Crimes of the Anti-A Team

The Anti-A Team, led by Rothwell, drove a wave of organised crime in Salford. Using EncroChat, Rothwell orchestrated a 2015 shooting at a Whitefield, Bury, home, where a 7.62mm round was fired through a window, and planned another unexecuted attack in Salford.

His network trafficked 36kg of cocaine and 10kg of cannabis between March and June 2020, alongside military-grade firearms, including an AK-47.

An X post by @ArtHostage on 12 August 2025 noted, 'Gangster's chilling Encrochat messages as he ordered shootings and dealt firearms Jamie Rothwell, a key figure in the Salford gang feud that unfolded between 2014 and 2019.'

The Anti-A Team's actions fuelled a violent feud with the A-Team, notably linked to the 2015 shooting of seven-year-old Christian Hickey and his mother in Eccles.

Rothwell's convictions reflect his role in escalating Salford's violent legacy.

Sentencing and Impact on Salford

On 13 August 2025, Manchester Crown Court sentenced Rothwell alongside nine associates, including Andrew Ackers and Craig Makinson, for related drug and gun offences.

The court's lockdown, with armed police escorting Rothwell, highlighted the case's gravity. Greater Manchester Police's Operation Vulcan, launched to dismantle Salford's gangs, was instrumental in his capture, using EncroChat data to secure evidence.

His barrister Mr. Henley said 'He knows what is ahead of him. Years in high security conditions in very confined space, with a mind numbing routine that he will have to make the best of.'

The operation has led to over 200 arrests since 2020, with £1.5 million ($2 million) in drugs seized, based on police estimates.

Salford's community continues to recover from the gang feud's impact, with local initiatives now focusing on youth outreach to prevent future violence.

Rothwell's life sentence marks a significant victory for law enforcement, though the scars of his violent legacy remain.