Three men found guilty of drive-by shooting in Merseyside

Three men have been convicted of murdering a 36-year-old man following a drive-by shooting in Merseyside.

Rikki Berry died after a balaclava-clad man riding an electric bike fired four shots at him in Quarryside Drive, Kirkby at 6.33pm on 17 July 2024.

The electric bike was travelling on the pavement but in convoy was a black Ateca Cupra being driven in the same direction on the road.

As the bike rider slowed down, almost to a stop, the car also came to a stop. The car and the bike were alongside each other outside Mr Berry’s address.  

Mr Berry was at the front of the house. The gunman fired four shots at Mr Berry, and three made contact. He died from a gunshot wound to his chest.

Michael Smith, 27, of Marbury Road, Kirkby, was the rider of the bike, 26-year-old Adam Williams, of Hamblett Crescent, St Helens, was the driver of the car, Connor Walsh, 26, of Simonswood Lane, Kirkby, was a passenger in the car.  

Smith was the gunman. Williams and Walsh were both present to oversee the killing.

Telephone evidence 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 dropped their phones and Williams left the Merseyside area.

As part of the police investigation, bullet casings were recovered from the scene of the shooting.  DNA matching Walsh was recovered from one of these casings.  

Williams was arrested on 24 July 2024 at a rural property in Woolston, Shropshire. When the police attended, he ran from the property and was found hiding in undergrowth. He made no comment when interviewed.

Walsh was interviewed on 31 July 2024 but denied any knowledge of the killing. He said he was an old friend of Williams and the calls between them on the day were to order drugs.  In a later interview, when DNA evidence from the scene was put to him, Walsh answered ‘no comment’ to questions.

Smith was arrested on 6 August 2024.  He declined to answer police questions.

All three men were subsequently charged with murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. 

They all pleaded not guilty. Part way through the trial, Walsh and Williams served defence statements naming Smith as the gunman. 

Following this, Smith pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life but continued to deny murder. But today, 14 February, all were following guilty of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life after a trial lasting nearly four weeks at Liverpool Crown Court.

They will be sentenced on 18 February. 

Senior Crown Prosecutor Nicola Wyn Williams of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “This was a shocking, execution-style murder committed on a summer evening in July.  

"Rikki Berry was at home with his partner and young children when four shots were fired at him by Smith. 

"It was only a matter of chance that no-one else was injured or killed by the gunman’s actions. The gunman was not acting alone.  The car and bike were acting in tandem.   

"All three defendants had a role to play.  Within three weeks of the shooting, Merseyside Police had identified the defendants as suspects, the Crown Prosecution Service had authorised murder charges and all three were before the court.  

"This has been a difficult and dynamic case. I’m grateful to all those involved in supporting the investigation and prosecution in achieving today’s convictions."