I was close to Violence Reduction for many years during the mid-20 teens, I probably had what you may call more in depth view of the mindset of some of the countries organised crime groups. What always got me back then wasn’t the activity they were involved in, drug dealing, money laundering, weapons etc, that all felt pretty normal for a Category B prison. It was their mindset. It was always the belief that anyone who got in the way of their activity was merely collateral.
The public over the last 10-15 years have become very used to the term organised crime, very used to the dealings of county lines and the now almost routine cops and robbers game played with police forces up and down the UK. OCG activity hasn’t become normalised, but it has become accepted that it is part of life, particularly in areas like Merseyside.
We mourned the tragic 15 year milestone anniversary for the killing of Rhys Jones this year on August 22nd, I vividly remember the strength of feeling inside a Merseyside Prison following his death. There was tension and the most uneasy feeling from even the hardest line involved in organised crime. This was reflected 8 years later in 2015, when Prisoners on masse supported the Rhys Jones Memorial Centre to purchase a new activity hub in his name. I gave a speech in the chapel of Liverpool Prison that day, and the look in the eye of those men I will never forget.
Talking about that fateful day with men convicted of GGK (Gangs, Guns, Knives) offences always has an effect, always elicits emotion. Shame, anger, hurt. In that moment they understand the hurt and pain families go through when they lose someone to OCG crossfire. So what flicks the mindset switch back again to focus on the job in hand, and anyone else who gets in their way is just part of the risk.
In this 15th Anniversary year of Rhys killing, it is beyond comprehension that over 15 suspected murders have been reported through GGK activity to date. Within those the most chilling, the shooting of 9 year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel as she cowered behind her mother in her own home in Dovecot. In a city that screams socialism, one for all almost demanded and communities famed for looking out for each other and yet here we are looking back on the bloodiest of years in our history. Children are losing their lives and they don’t even know why.
And so, to Christmas Eve. A time of good will to all men, celebration, happiness, and joy. A 26 year old woman goes out with her sister to meet friends and welcome Christmas in. Wallasey Village is a relatively quiet noneventful part of Merseyside, sitting roughly 3 miles from Liverpool city centre separated by the river. The Lighthouse pub sits around a mile from the Mersey Tunnel and right on the doorstep of the M53 motorway. The pub is traditionally busy on Christmas Eve with locals, mainly family and groups of friends. On the 24th of December this year the pub was no different.
At 23:50hrs Elle Edwards name was added to that list of tragic deaths. Gunned down as she prepared to go home to bed, ready for a Christmas Day with her family. Elle was 26 years old and had her whole life ahead of her. She was shot for merely going on a night out with her friends. The sound footage now released of the gun fire is truly chilling. Sporadic, spray like rapid fire, let me remind you this is no Hollywood Scarface movie, it is a small village in a suburb of the UK. 2023 has to be different, this simply cannot continue.
My son is 11 years old, he is in his first year of secondary school and like all major city high schools there will be issues with kids straying to the wrong side of the tracks, becoming interested and invested in making money or believing in the attraction of gang activity. Some sort of fake fantasy life where everybody lives happily around pools in mansions and piles of cash are stacked up in every cupboard. Of course, the reality couldn’t be further from that but how will they know without education. My Son’s school does not spend one minute of their curriculum looking at the risks of OSG activity. Of the other 9 secondary schools in the area, not a single one had any organised discussion groups or classes around Organised Crime, Substance Misuse or GGK. Frightening.
2 of the 9 spend a few minutes looking at adolescent self-harm and offered many offered counselling services. Where on earth do the hierarchy of our school curriculum believe the would be gangsters of the future come from? Tackling this issue starts at home, then schools, groups, outreach. Police presence is vital of course, bobbies interacting with youths and increasing trust in Police forces will be vital. This is no quick fix, but it is beyond necessary.
Education has to happen, when will the authorities listen. Will it cost? Of course, it will, probably a fair bit, but the cost to not do anything is grave. Olivia, Elle, Rhys and every other young person innocently killed in the line of this barbaric activity will simply be the very top of a long list when we look back again in 12 months.
As I write, Merseyside Police have made two arrests in connection with Elle’s murder and the attempted murder of 3 other individuals on Christmas Eve, Lets hope for a successful and just outcome to these enquiries for her family’s sake. Whatever the outcome however it will not bring her back.
I wish you all a very, SAFE and happy new year. For 2023…Education not Loss.
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