Kinahan Cartel gangster Liam Byrne grinned to himself as he was sentenced to five years in jail for a plot to stockpile a stash of machine guns this week.For law-abiding citizens the thought of  years banged up in a high security jail would be hell.But for Byrne, a senior figure in one of the world’s deadliest organised crime groups, it was almost a day for celebration.While his commander Thomas ‘The Bomber’ Kavanagh, the UK boss of the Kinahan Cartel, was facing nearly a 30 year sentence, Irish mobster Byrne knew he could be back in his luxury Merseyside mansion by next year.But while his well-heeled neighbours may include local celebrities and Premier League footballers, Byrne is from a different world where money and violence rule.   Liam Byrne was jailed for five years for a plot to stockpile a stash of guns this week Liam’s son Lee with his girlfriend, Liverpool FC legend Steven Gerrard’s daughter Lilly after Liam’s sentencing The ex-footballer posted a picture of his daughter and her boyfriend on Lee’s birthday Thomas Kavanagh is facing over 30 years in prison for commanding a multimillion-pound drug smuggling operation bringing cocaine and cannabis, Ipswich Crown Court heard how Byrne, 44, and Liverpool crook Shaun Kent planted a haul of automatic weapons in a bid to help Kavanagh dupe the authorities.Kavanagh, Byrne’s brother-in-law, was hoping to lead the National Crime Agency, Britain’s FBI, to the guns in a bid to reduce his sentence in a drug conspiracy case.The staggering haul, imported from Holland, included the Skorpion, the type of automatic weapon used to murder Ashley Dale and Ellie Edwards on Merseyside.Liam’s son Lee, celebrated the sentencing with a ‘get in there’ adding ‘I love you da. See you soon.’And Lee’s girlfriend Lilly, daughter of Liverpool FC legend Steven Gerrard, followed with a snap with her beau declaring her love for him. The Byrne and Gerrard families have bonded since the young couple began dating, with Lee describing Alex Gerrard, Steven’s stunning wife, as his second mum.There is no suggestion that Lee or any member of the Gerrard family are involved in crime.The couple became an item after Lee moved into a gated community in Freshfield, one of Merseyside’s more desirable post codes.Some of the biggest names in the Premier League have all bought sprawling mansions in the Freshfield area of Formby over the years.Just a few minutes walk from the golden sands of Formby’s stunning beach, Victoria Road is one of Merseyside’s most desired addresses.Over recent years locals have grown accustomed to seeing Steven Gerrard walking his dog and Jurgen Klopp out for his morning run. Kavanagh’s lavish fortified mansion, complete with reinforced doors and bulletproof glass, in Tamworth, Staffordshire, from where he ran his criminal empire A member of the gang seeking to assassinate a rival kingpin in a busy Dublin hotel, seen removing his wig, having dressed as a woman, as he flees the scene Armed men, dressed in police-style uniforms stormed a hotel hosting a weigh-in organised by Daniel Kinahan  Key gang member David Byrne was shot down at the hotel Kavanagh (pictured during his arrest) was a key member of the global Kinahan drugs organisation that reaches out from Ireland and the UK to Dubai and with links to deadly cartels in South America The National Crime Agency uncovered an elaborate plot to acquire firearms and ammunition to help the head of an organised crime group get a reduced prison sentence Some of the guns which were uncovered as part of the NCA investigationDad Liam, a notorious figure back in Dublin, was never far away. Locals have told MailOnline that Liam was often spotted at the house.But the life he left behind in Ireland was far from respectable. Liam’s brother David was shot dead during a boxing event at a hotel in Dublin in February 2016. The killing was linked to a fall out between the feared Kinahan Cartel and a rival gang from Dublin. Daniel Kinahan, now one of the world’s most wanted men, was said to have been the intended target.The Regency Hotel shooting sparked a gang war in Dublin that claimed 18 lives. After Liam Byrne’s home was car bombed, the family left the Irish capital and relocated to the UK.However Byrne, said by the NCA to be an established member of the Kinahan gang, was also used by others to exert influence in Liverpool’s property industry.The Crumlin thug was jailed for four years back in 2001 after he attacked former professional footballer Trevor Donnelly with a baseball bat in Dublin.Mr Donnelly was left with permanent injuries and his partner subject to a witness intimidation campaign by associates of Byrne.Police said they uncovered a plot to have the woman shot dead by republican terrorists. The woman was later assaulted by thugs after she gave evidence against Byrne in court.In December 2022 two groups of men fought with baseball bats outside Shorrocks Hill,a former nightclub and countryclub. Liam Byrne is said to have been at the scene during the fight, but was not personally involved in the brawl.In November last year CCTV footage was shared online which showed a group of men setting fire to the home of a well known sportsman in the Freshfield area of Formby. Locals told MailOnline that the firebombing of the house increased the sense of ‘unease’ in the area although there is nothing to suggest Byrne had a hand in the arson attack.For many Byrne, said to be hugely charismatic, was the public face of the Kinahans on Merseyside and therefore outranked local crime bossesTreasury officials described the Kinahan cartel as comparable to crime organisations such as Italy’s Camorra, Mexico’s Los Zetas and Japan’s Yakuza.The US Treasury has offered $5million for information leading to the capture of Daniel Kinahan, his brother Christopher (jnr) and father Christopher Vincent. The total bounty is worth $15m.Byrne senior was dining in a Majorca restaurant last year when police burst in and arrested him on suspicion of firearms offences.He was later extradited back to the UK, when the National Crime Agency chose to specifically link him with the Kinahan gang.The NCA said the Dubliner was ‘one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group.’Earlier this week the Old Bailey heard how Kavanagh instructed Byrne and Kent to source and plant machineguns. Kavanagh’s plan was to lead the NCA to the weapons’ haul, in a bid to have his sentence reduced.But the ruse unravelled when the NCA gained access to Encrochat messages sent by Kavanagh to the men.The messages included Kent messaging Byrne saying Kavanagh had asked him to pass on a message to ‘keep on about locating them things [firearms] for him mate. He added: ‘He said try get as many of them as you can… only chance he’s got on getting good result out of this case mate.’ The US Treasury has offered $5million for information leading to Christy Jr’s capture The cartel was started by Christy Kinahan Sr (left), known as ‘Dapper Don’, as a drug-dealing ring in Dublin in the 1990s, and operated by his son Christy Jr (right)The urgent messages continued when Kent received a message stating Kavanagh was ‘under massive pressure and time’s against him’ to get the firearms in position before he was due to appear in court again.The NCA later found the haul of weapons buried in County Down, which included three Skorpion machine guns, three Heckler and Koch self-loading pistols a PPS43 sub- machine gun, a POF PK1 sub machine gun and an Uzi machine gun.Byrne was sentenced to five years in prison and Kent was jailed for six years.Kavanagh, 57, Liam Byrne and Shaun Kent, 38, from Liverpool, admitted two charges of conspiring to possess a prohibited weapon, and two charges of conspiring to possess prohibited ammunition, between January 9th 2020 and June 3rd 2021. Kavanagh and Kent also admitted conspiring with others to pervert the course of justice.Kavanagh was sentenced to six years in prison to be served consecutively to his existing 21-year sentence.NCA Branch Commander Ty Surgeon said: ‘At the instruction of their leader Thomas Kavanagh,Shaun Kent and Liam Byrne orchestrated a cynical and dangerous plot to plant a cache of weapons so Kavanagh could direct the NCA to them and reduce his time in prison.’These weapons were viable and deadly weapons that were in the hands of a criminal gang,loaded and ready for use in criminality. What this group didn’t know is their Encrochat messages had been unveiled for law enforcement to see, showing every detail of their plan.’The NCA’s mission is to protect the public from serious and organised crime, and as this case shows, we will pursue every avenue, including overseas, to ensure criminals are brought to justice.’