Paddy Lacey among four charged with attempted murder after Merseyside driveway shooting

paddy lacey, a former professional footballer who has also competed as a boxer, is one of four people charged with attempted murder following a shooting on a driveway in Merseyside. The charges were laid after coordinated warrants and arrests linked to an incident in late November.

Paddy Lacey: What happened and what’s new

Police say a man in his 20s was shot in the leg on a driveway on Radway Road in Huyton on 28 November at about 22: 20 GMT and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Four people have since been charged in connection with the incident: Patrick (Paddy) Lacey, 32, of Manor Avenue, Crosby; John Aaron Jones, 35, of Stamfordham Drive, Allerton; John George Patrick Hughes, 31, of no fixed abode; and Bernard Flynn, 61, of Knowsley Road, Bootle.

The charges include attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, possession of a shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life, section 18 grievous bodily harm, and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm. A number of warrants were carried out across Knowsley, Sefton and Liverpool on a Thursday, leading to four arrests and subsequent charges. The four are due to appear at Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and St Helens Adult Remand Court.

, Detective Inspector Chris Clark described the enforcement action as coordinated and part of an ongoing firearms investigation, and urged anyone with relevant footage or first-hand accounts to come forward so police can assess additional information.

Behind the headline

The central new development is the formal charging of four individuals in connection with a November shooting that left a young man critically injured. The inquiry progressed to execution of warrants and arrests before charges were filed. The involvement of someone with a public sporting profile — who has played at various levels of the football pyramid and has competed in boxing — has amplified interest in the case.

Stakeholders include the injured man and his family, the four people charged and their families, local law enforcement and the courts. Law enforcement has leverage through investigative powers and evidence-gathering; the defendants face potential criminal proceedings that will be decided in court. Community safety and local confidence in policing are also implicated because the incident occurred in a residential area.

What we still don’t know

• Whether the injured man has recovered from his critical condition and his current medical status.
• Any detailed account of how the shooting unfolded beyond the time and place given.
• Motives or relationships among those charged and the victim.
• Specific forensic or surveillance evidence uncovered during warrants that led to the charges.
• Exact court timetables for pre-trial hearings beyond the immediate remand listing.

What happens next

• Remand and pre-trial process: The charged individuals will progress through the magistrates’ remand listing and toward a crown court hearing if prosecution proceeds; triggers are formal court dates and disclosure of evidence.
• Further police appeals: Investigators may continue public appeals for footage or witnesses; new evidence could expand or narrow the scope of charges.
• Defence challenges: Defence teams may seek bail, challenge evidence obtained in warrants, or request detailed disclosure; rulings on those matters will shape the case timeline.
• Medical updates: An official medical update from the hospital or police would alter the severity assessment of injuries and could influence prosecutorial decisions.
• Plea and trial options: If charges are contested, the matter could proceed to a full trial; alternatively, guilty pleas at an early stage would lead to sentencing hearings.

Why it matters

The case touches on public safety in residential areas and the handling of firearms incidents. For the local community, the shooting on a driveway raises concerns about violent incidents occurring in streets after dark. For the individuals charged, including one with a public sporting background, the legal and reputational consequences are significant and will play out through the criminal justice process. In the near term, the practical effects are procedural: police investigations, court remands, and continued appeals for evidence that could determine whether the prosecution proceeds to trial.

Coverage and public interest are likely to continue while the investigation and court processes move forward. Authorities have indicated their work is ongoing and have asked for additional information from the public that could be relevant to establishing the sequence of events.