Three men – described as “evil people”- have been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering a dad in his own front garden in a drive-by shooting.
Rikki Berry died in hospital from a gunshot wound to his chest after the attack in Knowsley, Merseyside after a balaclava-wearing man riding an electric bike fired four shots at him just after 6.30pm on July 17, last year. The bike was travelling on the pavement in convoy with a black Seat Alteca Cupra. As the bike rider slowed down, the car also came to a stop – Michael Smith fired four shots at 36-year-old Mr Berry, and he was hit by three bullets.
Michael Smith, 27, Adam Williams, 26, and Connor Walsh, 26, were all found guilty of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The jury heard that Smith was the rider of the bike, with Williams the driver of the car and Walsh, a passenger in the car.
Today, Smith and Williams were jailed for life and given a minimum term of 31 years each, while Walsh was told he must spend at least 30 years behind bars.
Williams and Walsh were both present to oversee the killing, the court heard. Telephone records showed the three men were in contact with each other in the run-up to the murder. They were all together in the Cupra minutes before the shooting as they drove to conduct a recce of the scene. After the shooting, the defendants switched off their phones and Williams left the Merseyside area. DNA on one of the bullet casings recovered from the scene by police was found to match Walsh.
All three were arrested and charged with murder, with all of them pleading not guilty. Part-way through the trial, which lasted nearly four weeks, Walsh and Williams served defence statements naming Smith as the gunman. Smith then pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence but continued to deny murder.
During sentencing today, Mr Berry’s son told the court he watched his dad die in their house. Reading his victim impact statement, he said: “How does it make you evil people to make you feel that I have to watch my sister grow up without a dad. I watched my dad dying in our house. Why did you do this? Imagine if someone did that to someone you love. I had to watch as my dad died. I then had to bury him. I had to tell my sister what happened. I watched my mum kissing his coffin saying she loves him and always will. I hate you all for what you’ve done to me and my family.”
Mr Berry’s partner Carly Newall said: “At 17.34 on July 17, when Nuggy arrived, it was just a normal weekday. Who would know in an hour’s time our worst nightmare would start. I was doing my friend Annie’s hair in the kitchen. My son had just been with his dad moments before the shooting. My daughter was playing in between the lounge and the kitchen. Within a split second, I heard the shots. I can still hear them now. That noise will live with me forever.
“I ran for cover to the rear garden then realised Nuggy had been shot. Nuggy was on the kitchen floor telling everyone to get the kids out. I think all the time, could I have done anything more. All I know is all five of us could have died that day. I kept thinking why. There are kids in the house. We are just normal people. How can I explain to a four-year-old? She tells me her dad talks to her in her sleep.”
Sentencing them, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC, said: “It matters not who pulls the trigger. That starting point [of 30 years] applies to the three of you. There was a significant degree of planning or premeditation. Offences involving the use of firearms are particularly serious not because they involve planning but because they bring terror to the streets.
“This was a group attack where I’m satisfied that you Adam Williams played a leading role. You were driving this enterprise. Your own evidence is that the other two defendants were sometimes or regularly doing work for you in connection with your drug activities. In terms of mitigation there is little that can be said on your behalf. I’m satisfied on all of the evidence that the intention all of you shared was that Rikki Berry should be killed.”
He added: “Having armed yourselves, you all travelled back to Kirkby in order to see if your target was outside his house. He was in his front garden fixing something. Seeing your opportunity, you set out from the house of Walsh’s partner just around the corner. You travelled in convoy together and found Mr Berry. There was evidence that someone shouted something just before the shooting. I’ve no doubt the shout came from one of you, designed to attract Rikki Berry’s attention.
“He was trapped in the doorway with nowhere to go when he was shot at close range. This was in every sense a cold blood premeditated slaying. It happened in broad daylight on a quiet residential street where families live and children play. You had no regard for anyone else you put at risk. In that house were two other adults and two children. It’s only by good fortune there were not other casualties that day. You acted in a manner similar to the wild west. You simply did not care and thought some code of silence would protect you.”
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