Jump to content
By fans, for fans. By fans, for fans. By fans, for fans.

Psycho gangster threatened to shoot Gerrard

Guest Banjo

By Guest Banjo
in Liverpool FC

 Share

Recommended Posts

Guest Banjo

Guest Banjo

Posted
Posted

Apr 10 2008

 

THE father of Steven Gerrard last night revealed how a notorious figure from the Merseyside underworld had threatened to shoot the Liverpool FC captain in the legs and maim him.

 

Gerrard’s father Paul said they recruited John Kinsella as a fixer to “sort out” George Bromley Jnr, who had terrorised the Huyton- born midfielder for two years.

 

The revelations came in a letter written by Paul Gerrard on Tuesday, the day his son was leading Liverpool FC to a famous Champions League victory against Arsenal at Anfield.

 

It was submitted as evidence yesterday in a robbery trial at Lincoln Crown Court, where Kinsella is one of four co-accused from Liverpool.

 

The jury was told that Gerrard, 27, was placed under police protection because the thug was “making his life a misery”, including, on one occasion, ambushing the footballer outside his apartment in Southport.

 

Kinsella, 43, is one of four men accused of taking part in a £41,000 robbery in which a haulage depot night***chman was tied up.

 

But he claims he was in the area of the raid at the time only in his role as an under- world enforcer – a job he once carried out for the Gerrards.

 

In the letter from Paul Gerrard – which was confirmed as genuine after police visited him yesterday (Wed) – he told of the “total respect” he and his multi-millionaire son had for Kinsella, after he helped put an end to their “nightmare.”

 

Mr Gerrard wrote: “I would like to say that, in 2001, my son Steven was being terror- ised by a notorious Liverpool gangster known as ‘The Psycho’, who was threatening to maim my son by shooting him in the legs. Also, he was trying to extort a large amount of money from Steven.

 

“We immediately contacted the police and asked for protection. This went on for a long time, during which Steven’s car was smashed up and the gangster chased him while he was driving home from training.

 

“This was one of the worst times of our lives. It was really having a bad effect on his career. Liverpool FC provided security for Steven, but the threats still kept coming.

 

“We were at our wits’ end when we were introduced by a family friend to John Kinsella. I told him about the ongoing threats and violence. John then reassured me and my family he would resolve our nightmare.

 

“From that time until this day, we have never had any more problems from the Liverpool underworld. Steven and I have total respect for John for what he did for us. Yours faithfully, Paul Gerrard.”

 

Giving evidence, Kinsella said he was contacted by the star’s family after Gerrard was threatened by Liverpool gangster George Bromley Jnr.

 

He said: “I took steps. I spoke to George Bromley Jnr. I told him to stop it and leave him alone. After I had spoken to him, he followed my advice.”

 

Kinsella, a boxer and martial arts expert, said his work for Gerrard was just one example of how he collected debts and sorted out problems for people.

 

He told the jury: “On one occasion, a Liverpool football player, Steven Gerrard, was being terrorised by a Liverpool gangster.

 

“It started in 2001, and I spoke to his father in 2003. One of his family approached me and said this person was making Steven’s life a misery.

 

“He was demanding money with menaces and threatening to shoot Steven in the legs. He ambushed Steven outside his apartment in Southport.”

 

Kinsella said Bromley Jnr was the man responsible for the campaign of terror against the star, adding: “George Bromley Jnr is a young lad.

 

“He was a very violent figure in Liverpool, and his father was well-known in the underworld as being an enforcer – mainly on the club scene.

 

“But George Bromley Snr is not alive any more. He was executed at his friend’s house – he was shot a number of times in the head.

 

“I know George Bromley Jnr is a very dangerous man. Steven was given armed police protection because they feared for his safety that much.

 

“A member of his family approached me. I met his father, Paul. His father came with one of his family to ask me to do something about this.”

 

Kinsella said he had secured proof of his claims from Gerrard’s father after visiting him on Tuesday – hours before Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal.

 

“I saw Steven Gerrard’s father yesterday. He has provided me with a letter confirming what I have just said,” Kinsella told the jury.

 

“He is just recovering from a hernia operation. He had actually come out of hospital yesterday morning when I knocked on his front door.”

 

Kinsella said that, on another occasion, he was “called in” by a Merseyside garage owner who was being threatened by a protection racket.

 

The man was “absolutely terrified” after a gang of thugs, aged between 16 and 26, told him to hand over £1,000 a week, he claimed.

 

He said: “They were a formidable force. But, after I spoke to the leader, the garage owner didn't have any problems with them that I know of.”

 

The trial continues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Romario

Romario

Posted
Posted (edited)

bloody hell. That's scary.

I'd love to know what “I took steps. I spoke to George Bromley Jnr." actually means. John Kinsella sounds like Harvey Keitel in Pulp fiction.

Edited by Romario
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Superjay

Superjay

Posted
Posted
I wonder if this had any bearing on Gerrard being interested in a move to another club ?

 

gerrard wanted to move in 2005 didnt he? The article says this all took place between 2001 & 2003.... what was his form like around then?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest Anders Honoré

Guest Anders Honoré

Posted
Posted
gerrard wanted to move in 2005 didnt he? The article says this all took place between 2001 & 2003.... what was his form like around then?

 

I assumed this was behind the Houllier outburst where he publically dropped him in favour of Diao.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JRC

JRC

Posted
Posted

His first possible move to Chelsea was 2004, when Rafa arrived and he was away with Terry and FFL at the Euro 2004. As someone suggested above, maybe the Daily Mail peddled story that he only stayed because of death threats got it the wrong way round - maybe he was looking to leave because of them.

 

This stuff was the time that Gerrard moved in with Houllier for a period, iirc. I always understood the story of his car being followed and smashed up in front of him was because Alex was an Ex of the threatener, but didn't know if the whole story was apocryphal anyway; this proves that a substantial part of it was not - although not sure of timings, because he was at the 2001 Cup Final celebration with Ellison, I think.

 

FFS, am I posting on an LFC site or Pobbitch? Sorry, lost it there for a moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Walrus

Walrus

Posted
Posted (edited)
Liverpool FC provided security for Steven, but the threats still kept coming.

 

 

Is this way Skrtel was bought, to replace the minder?

 

There definitely seems to be a connection, albeit years delayed. :)

Edited by Walrus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Home

Notifications

PMs
×
×
  • Create New...