Gun Crime in Merseyside Prompts Crimestoppers Appeal

The rise in gun crime in Merseyside has prompted the charity Crimestoppers to launch a campaign aimed at combating the issue.

Man shot in Wavertree last night

Only last night, a 26 year old man was shot and killed outside a chip shop in Wavertree. A 19 year old man, thought to have been with the victim at the time of the shooting, was admitted to a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds. His condition is thought to be serious but not life threatening.

An eye witness at the scene told the Liverpool Echo:

“He had about nine shots in him and I held my hands with pressure over the wound while another girl pumped his chest”

Merseyside police have confirmed they will hold a press conference at 12.30pm today.

Gun crime in Merseyside

Since April 2016, there has been 77 firearm discharges across Merseyside (excluding last night’s incident). 3 of those incidents resulted in fatalities, while 28 resulted in non-fatal injuries. The year before saw fewer incidents with a total of 60 discharges, two deaths and 11 injuries.

Crimestoppers campaign

The Crimestoppers campaign to tackle gun crime in Merseyside, which starts today, was prompted by the death of 44 year old Thomas Baker. Mr Baker was killed last week outside a gym in the Old Swan area of Liverpool and he was, at the time, the third gun crime fatality in nine months.

The campaign is aimed at areas most affected by gun crime in Merseyside, including Speke, Bootle, Norris Green, Wavertree and Old Swan. A van with a digital screen will drive around those areas, broadcasting ’emotive imagery’ to passersby. The campaign will also involve targeted social media advertising.

Gary Murray, Crimestoppers’ regional manager, said:

“We want to appeal to local people to tell us who is responsible for these crimes, without fear of repercussion, but we also need to find out where these guns are being stored so that the police can make our streets safer.

“We know that picking up the phone or logging on to our site is probably one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do. But in 28 years, we have never broken our promise to the public that those who contact us will always remain anonymous.”

Latest gun crime figures

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show a 2% rise in firearm offences in the UK for the year ending March 2015. This is the first increase in gun crime in a ten year period, with a total of 7,866 offences taking place. 19 of those offences involved fatalities.

Criminal injury – expert legal advice

Criminal injuries compensation may be available if you have experienced physical trauma or psychological trauma as a result of a violent crime. Speaking to a member of our team about your criminal injury may be the first time that you have spoken to anybody about your experience – this is common among our clients. We guarantee complete confidentiality throughout your claim.

We understand that if you have been subjected to an act of violence, your thoughts will turn to making a full recovery – compensation will likely be the last thing on your mind.

There is, however, a government Scheme that provides compensation to those who have been victims of violent crime. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is governed by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

If you would like expert advice on this type of case, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today. Call 0800 888 6 888 or email .

Source: Liverpool Echo; Guardian