On a quiet Monday night in July 2015, the streets of Clifton, Salford, fell silent after a single burst of gunfire shattered the evening. Paul Massey, the feared Salford crime boss known as "Mr Big", lay dead outside his home on Manchester Road — shot at 11:30 p.m. by a killer dressed in military-style fatigues, wielding a weapon police described as "similar to a submachine gun." The hit wasn’t just a murder; it was a declaration of war in the shadowy world of UK organized crime.
The Rise and Fall of Mr Big
Born in Salford in 1961, Paul Massey didn’t start as a kingpin. He began with petty theft as a teenager in the late 1970s, but by the 1980s, he’d built a criminal empire rooted in extortion, drug trafficking, and loan sharking. His nickname, "Mr Big," wasn’t self-proclaimed — it came from Salford city councillor Joe Burrows, who used it during a tense 1992 meeting about civil unrest in the area. The name stuck, and so did Massey’s grip on the streets. He had five children and eight grandchildren. In 2012, after serving time in Frankland Prison, he even ran for mayor of Salford — finishing seventh out of ten candidates. It was a bizarre, almost theatrical attempt to legitimize his influence. But beneath the campaign posters and polite smiles, Massey remained a man who commanded loyalty through fear. He had ties to the infamous Quality Street Gang, known for brutal territorial enforcement across Northern England.The Hit That Shook the Underworld
The killing of Massey wasn’t random. It was meticulously planned. Mark Fellows, a professional hitman with ties to multiple criminal networks, carried out the assassination. Witnesses described him as calm, methodical — not the kind of man who panics. He disappeared into the night, leaving behind shell casings and a chilling message: even the most untouchable figures have an expiration date. For nearly three years, police had 112 people linked to the murder. None spoke. Not one. The criminal code — a silent pact of omertà — held firm in Salford. So Greater Manchester Police did the only thing left: they offered a £50,000 reward. The streets stayed quiet. Then came the twist.The Second Murder and the Digital Trail
On 1 June 2018, everything changed. Mark Fellows wasn’t just charged with Massey’s murder. He was also charged with the killing of John Kinsella, a powerful Liverpool gangster and Massey’s close friend. The two murders, separated by geography but bound by method, were linked by one thing: encrypted PGP-equipped BlackBerry phones. These weren’t just tools — they were digital fingerprints. Investigators found that the same communication chain coordinated both hits. Fellows didn’t act alone. He was hired — but by whom? The answer lay in the fractured power struggle that followed Massey’s death: the A Team, led by Massey and later by Britton, versus the Anti-A Team, led by a fugitive named Carroll. Carroll fled the country after the hit. Graffiti appeared across Salford: "COME FIGHT YOUR WAR." One Anti-A member was shot in the buttocks. A wedding was interrupted by a smoke grenade. Violence spiraled.19 Shootings, One Family’s Tragedy
From January to December 2015, Salford saw 19 shootings. One of them left a 29-year-old woman and her seven-year-old son critically injured — a case police later linked to retaliation for Massey’s killing. Children weren’t supposed to be collateral. But in this war, they were. Authorities feared an all-out gang war. A hit squad was sent to Spain to kill Carroll. They raided an apartment in Marbella and found knives, a loaded pistol, a bat — and a weighted vest. The plan? Sink his body in the Mediterranean. Police arrested several men, including Britton. He was later released. Carroll vanished. The hunt continued.Justice, Finally
Despite the wall of silence, forensic tech and digital forensics broke through. Fellows was convicted in 2021 and handed a whole life order — no parole, no chance of release. The case proved something crucial: even in communities where silence is sacred, technology doesn’t lie. The BlackBerry logs, the encrypted messages, the ballistic matches — they told the truth the streets refused to speak. Massey’s death didn’t end the violence. It just changed its shape. But Fellows’ conviction marked a rare victory for law enforcement in a world where justice has long been outsourced to the streets.What Comes Next?
Nine years on, Salford is quieter — but not peaceful. The A Team and Anti-A Team factions still exist, their leaders either in prison, in exile, or living in plain sight. Police continue to monitor the networks, but the code of silence lingers. Younger criminals watch these stories closely. They learn: don’t talk. Don’t trust. And if you’re powerful enough, you might get away with murder — until you don’t.Frequently Asked Questions
How did police finally break the code of silence in Salford?
Police broke the silence not through witness testimony, but through digital forensics. Encrypted PGP messages on BlackBerry phones used to coordinate both Massey’s and Kinsella’s murders provided irrefutable evidence linking Mark Fellows to both killings. Even though 112 people were connected to Massey’s death, none spoke — until the technology did.
Why was Paul Massey called 'Mr Big'?
The nickname was coined by Salford city councillor Joe Burrows during a 1992 meeting about civil disturbances, where Massey’s influence over the area was undeniable. The name stuck because it captured his dominance — not just in crime, but in the local psyche. He was the man people feared, the man they whispered about, the man who made the rules.
What role did the Quality Street Gang play in Massey’s empire?
The Quality Street Gang was a key enforcer arm in Massey’s network, known for violent reprisals and territorial control across Northern England. They weren’t just muscle — they were the reason rivals thought twice before crossing Massey. Their reputation for brutality helped maintain his control even when he wasn’t physically present.
What happened to the men who tried to kill Carroll in Spain?
A hit squad sent to Marbella was caught after police raided an apartment and seized weapons — including a weighted vest meant to sink Carroll’s body in the Mediterranean. Several men were arrested, including Britton, who was later released due to insufficient evidence. Carroll escaped and remains at large, believed to be living under a new identity in Eastern Europe.
Why did 19 shootings occur in Salford in 2015 after Massey’s death?
Massey’s killing created a power vacuum. The A Team and Anti-A Team factions clashed violently, and rival groups saw an opportunity to settle old scores. The shooting of a woman and her child was a tragic example of how innocent bystanders became targets in the fallout. The violence wasn’t random — it was a power struggle played out in gunfire.
Is Mark Fellows the only person convicted in connection with Massey’s murder?
Yes. Fellows is the only person convicted for Massey’s murder — and also for Kinsella’s. While over 100 people were investigated, and several were arrested in connection with the aftermath, only Fellows was directly linked to pulling the trigger. The rest either avoided prosecution or were released due to lack of evidence.