Gangster in ‘threat to shoot’ Steven Gerrard

Apr 10 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

Steve Gerrard

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 nightwatchman 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 – 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 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.

The trial continues.

alanweston