Former EFL and non league footballer charged with attempted murder after shooting incident

Former EFL and non league footballer Patrick Lacey has been charged with tried homicide after a taking pictures incident in Liverpool.

The 32 yr outdated is certainly one of 4 individuals arrested on Thursday, February nineteenth and charged with tried homicide, after the taking pictures of a person in Merseyside in November

Every of the 4 males have been charged with tried homicide, conspiracy to homicide, possession of shotgun and ammunition with intent to hazard life; part 18 GBH (grievous bodily hurt), and conspiracy to trigger GBH.

A person in his 20s was shot within the driveway of an deal with on Radway Street in Huyton on Friday, the twenty eighth of November, and was taken to hospital with severe leg accidents.

Ex-Man Utd and Liverpool teen amongst 4 suspected of tried homicide after shootinghttps://t.co/erPcldt6Qe pic.twitter.com/JBCjhkOTt3

— Mirror Soccer (@MirrorFootball) February 20, 2026

POLICE STATEMENT:

We’ve got charged 4 individuals as a part of a strike day in reference to an damage taking pictures in Huyton in November.

Simply earlier than 10.20pm on Friday 28 November, we obtained a report {that a} man had been shot on the driveway of an deal with on Radway Street. A person in his 20s was taken to hospital with severe accidents to his leg.

Yesterday, Thursday 19 February, a lot of warrants have been carried out throughout Knowsley, Sefton and Liverpool and 4 individuals have been arrested.

The next individuals have now been charged with Tried homicide; Conspiracy to homicide; Possession of shotgun and ammunition with intent to hazard life; Part 18 GBH; and Conspiracy to trigger GBH. They’re:

Patrick Sean Lacey, 32, of Manor Avenue, Crosby

John Aaron Jones, 35, of Stamfordham Drive, Allerton

John George Patrick Hughes, 31, of no mounted abode

Bernard Flynn, 61, of Knowsley Street, Bootle

All 4 will seem at Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and St Helens Grownup Remand Courtroom this morning, Friday 20 February.

Detective Inspector Chris Clark from our Firearms Investigation Staff stated: “These coordinated warrants have been carried out as a part of an ongoing investigation, and all 4 males will seem in court docket immediately.

“Our work continues, so I might ask that individuals who have but to come back ahead nonetheless achieve this. Please don’t assume that we already maintain data. Our group will make that evaluation, and can take the suitable motion. Whether or not you could have a first-hand account, dashcam, CCTV, doorbell or different footage, come ahead.”

Please name 101 or contact us on social media @MerPolCC, quoting reference 25000975453. You may also report data through our web site: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/.

Alternatively, contact the impartial charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or through their web site right here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/kinds/give-information-anonymously.

Lacey, who additionally has a 10-0 file as a boxer between 2021 and 2023 – of Manor Avenue, Crosby, frolicked at Tranmere Rovers, Manchester United, Liverpool and Sheffield Wednesday as a youth participant.

He additionally had a 12-year senior profession with the likes of Bradford Metropolis, Southport, Vauxhall Motors, Droylsden, Altrincham, Barrow, Accrington Stanley, Southport, Stalybridge Celtic, Chester, Warrington Rylands 1906 and Flint City United.

He fought as skilled boxer, alongside his semi-professional soccer profession, together with his day job being a carpet fitter.

In 2017, his contract at Accrington was terminated after admitting to a breach of anti-doping rules, and served a 14-month ban by the Soccer Affiliation after examined constructive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, following a match in opposition to Hartlepool United the earlier November.

Only a month after his contract was terminated, Lacey had been arrested at Glastonbury Pageant after having the possession of 20.3 grams of cocaine, 16.8 grams of MDMA, and £520 in counterfeit £20 notes.

He pleaded responsible to 2 counts of possessing a managed substance, and passing an merchandise as real which he knew to be a counterfeit, served solely 5 months of the 16-month jail sentence in July 2017, earlier than popping out to spend the subsequent 4 months ‘on tag’.

Lacey returned to soccer after his launch from jail, taking on non league on the 14th of January 2019 when he signed for Southport on an 18-month contract.

He stated in an interview, as per BBC Sport, in 2021: “I’ve been via some stuff. “It was simply unhealthy information after unhealthy information after unhealthy information. A mad two or three years of torment.

“That was my medication. To be trustworthy, it was one of the best factor that ever occurred to me.

“I assumed the choose was harsh on me. I obtained 14 months for the solid notes and one other two months for possession of medicine at Glastonbury.

“After I went all the way down to the court docket, the choose stated ‘Look, I take care of individuals every single day who don’t have anything going for them. You’ve obtained a letter right here off England Boxing, you’ve obtained letters from soccer golf equipment to say you’re knowledgeable footballer. You’ve obtained the world at your ft and you retain messing up. You’re going to must be taught a harsh lesson’.

“It gave me that pondering time if you’re sat there 23 hours a day.”

He opened up on studying Joey Barton’s e-book when he was in jail.

“It’s humorous that I learn it in jail,” admits Lacey. “The remainder of the books have been all outdated however the Joey Barton one was model new.

“It sort of known as out to me and it definitely lifted my spirits.

“After I got here out everybody was saying ‘You’ve made a mistake. Get again in your soccer and make a recent begin’.

“That first weekend I used to be out, I performed domestically with the lads, snapped my cruciate ligament and broke and dislocated my arm.

“That was one other yr out simply once I was making an attempt to get going once more.”

He ended up having sepsis following his ACL operation, misplaced three stone in weight, then endured some darkish days.

“It’s paralysing. I simply wished to remain in mattress and keep away from my dad,” he stated.

“Particularly when my auntie died. My dad had simply misplaced his sister and I needed to inform him I used to be going to be in jail.

“You simply assume darkish ideas. There have been days once I don’t know what motivates me to get away from bed and keep it up. However I did.

“I used to be banned from soccer for 14 months. I wanted some form of intention so I went with the boxing.

“And the ending was the beginning. I’d been coming via non-league, not taking my soccer as severely as I ought to and mixing in circles I shouldn’t have.

“I didn’t safeguard myself. I’d like to go and communicate to children now in the same place. You’ve obtained to refocus. You possibly can’t let individuals mislead you. It’s all about rising as an individual.

“It’s solely actually during the last yr that I’ve managed to start out placing issues straight, with the angle I’ve now. It’s been a case of conserving my head down at occasions, but additionally conserving my chin excessive. I’ve come via and are available out the opposite aspect.

“My enterprise is flourishing, I’ve gained my first two fights and I’m taking part in effectively for Chester after coming via a second ACL op on my different knee. I definitely haven’t given up on the soccer. Chester have been excellent to me.”

On taking on boxing: “I’m at an age the place I do know I’m not going to go on and earn nice cash however perhaps I can do it with boxing. And I need to do each. They assist one another.

“I’ve obtained unbelievable stamina. However there’s a steadiness between doing an excessive amount of and I’ve obtained to watch out and hearken to my coaches once they say I’m beginning to look somewhat leggy and drained within the gymnasium.

“My love for boxing began with my dad. He boxed as a schoolboy after which he was on the books at Liverpool. He was there in that nice period of that group that went and gained [the European Cup] in Rome in 1984, with Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Alan Hansen, Graeme Souness and the like.

“He performed for Liverpool till he was 17 then, when he obtained launched, he began boxing once more. And I used to go down the gymnasium with him to maintain match.

“We have been at all times watching boxing once we have been children. Let’s face it, soccer and combating are the 2 greatest sports activities in Liverpool.

“I at all times wished to field however once I was going around the likes of Manchester United, Blackburn and Liverpool, all of them stated to me ‘there’s no must take punches within the face if you happen to don’t must’.

“I obtained again into it once I had a charity battle with a college instructor once I was 21 or 22. My dad got here to look at and he stated ‘son, you’ve obtained some pure skill’.

“I then began bowling over a load of amateurs, and getting a little bit of a fame in Liverpool that I is perhaps a good little fighter. And now I simply need to embrace it so long as I can.

“I really feel like I’ve developed a lot, as a boxer and as an individual. I really feel actually blissful on the approach I’ve come on.

“I’m hoping in 2022 that I may very well be knocking on the door for a central space title. After which let’s see what occurs.

“Carl Froch was in his 30s earlier than he hit his greatest years, don’t overlook. You peak somewhat later in boxing.”