Westerdale Drive within the coastal village of Banks seems as an excellent suburban retreat, lined with spacious indifferent houses and tidy gardens beneath silver birch timber. Households have lengthy sought refuge right here from the bustle of Liverpool and Manchester, having fun with a serene way of life. Nevertheless, this peaceable cul-de-sac now hosts two infamous Liverpool criminals, disrupting the tranquility for hardworking professionals and their kids.
Key Figures: Stephen Clarke and Paul Lawler
Stephen Clarke, a criminal offense boss in his late fifties, and his affiliate Paul Lawler, 47, reside simply doorways aside on the southern finish of Westerdale Drive. Locals report ongoing disturbances, together with intense cocaine-fueled events and violent outbursts.
Latest Knife Chase Incident
On December 27, 2025, witnesses noticed Lawler rising from close by undergrowth armed with a knife whereas sporting a dressing robe. He chased a random canine walker earlier than fleeing towards a neighborhood petrol station. “He was in a dressing robe and had a giant knife,” one resident recalled. “He chased a canine walker after which ran off towards the petrol station. The canine walker known as the police, and so they despatched an armed response crew.”
Investigators linked the episode to a cocaine binge that began on Christmas Eve, after Lawler was ejected from a bar for spilling and retrieving cocaine from the ground. Lawler now serves a 16-month sentence for knife possession, with neighbors anxious about his impending launch.
Felony Backgrounds
Lawler, a former Birkdale Excessive College scholar, has a historical past of violence. In 2013, authorities sentenced him to 10 years for his position in Clarke’s organized crime community. Throughout his arrest, officers caught him flushing cocaine and found a hashish farm in his storage. He admitted to being “off the trolley” after heavy drug use.
Lawler confronted recall to jail in 2019 after CCTV captured him knocking a person unconscious in Southport. In 2021, police uncovered one other hashish operation at his dwelling, however he prevented additional incarceration.
Clarke relocated to Westerdale Drive in 2007 following a jail time period for unlawful firearm possession—a .357 Magnum present in his spouse’s purse at a Nottingham restaurant. His prior Kirkby residence had been focused in a gang taking pictures, prompting his transfer for a low-profile life.
The Clarke Gang Operations
Clarke, alongside brother Peter—a former Military corporal—led a gaggle that smuggled medication price £4 million to Northern Eire. Stephen cultivated hashish in Southport, whereas Peter sourced cocaine from Dutch suppliers and saved weapons together with weapons, knives, and machetes. The operation generated an estimated £2 million.
Clarke hosted raucous events drawing Merseyside figures, together with MasterChef contestant Jay Tinker. One occasion escalated when Clarke allegedly punched a visitor and urinated on him. A 2013 police surveillance effort led to the trio’s arrests: Stephen obtained 10 years and 6 months, Peter 16 years for medication and firearms, and Lawler 10 years.
Different Disturbances and Group Affect
Earlier incidents embody shattered home home windows from unidentified gunfire and erratic conduct tied to drug use. A pal notes Lawler has “unravelled” since Clarke’s arrival, heightening native unease on this once-quiet village, beforehand shocked by the 2024 Southport tragedy involving resident Axel Rudakubana.
Residents specific deep considerations. “My fundamental concern is what occurs when Paul comes out,” one neighbor said. “He’s a drug addict, and to be trustworthy, I would really like him to maneuver now. The incident at Christmas was the ultimate straw.” One other added, “That Lawler is an entire nutter and has been for years. We’re caught with him and his mates. They’re infamous individuals. When you stay on the opposite aspect of Westerdale, you’re okay, however I really feel sorry for the households close to him. He’s deranged.”
