A 23-year-old man whose DNA was identified on a firearm used in a drive-by shooting in Kirkdale was seriously attacked while in custody, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday.
Defendant assaulted while in custody
Prosecutors said Reece Sands was at a McDonald's with his girlfriend when shots were fired from a BMW towards an alleyway on Wulstan Street, Kirkdale, on the evening of 26 July last year. Two men had been standing in the vicinity moments earlier and reportedly dived behind a metal gate as the bullets were discharged.
Following the incident, a Glock pistol — the weapon used in the shooting — was recovered alongside another firearm and £50,000 in cash inside a Sports Direct bag. DNA from Sands was found on the Glock.
Plea change after attack
Sands initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court heard that, while serving time in custody, he was seriously assaulted after not aligning himself with his co-defendants. The attack left him distressed and, prosecutors said, contributed to a change in approach; Sands later admitted a charge of conspiracy to possess the Glock pistol.
"Preparations started some days earlier,"
The prosecution outlined what it described as premeditated arrangements. Holly Menary told the court that plans had been made in the days before the shooting, including the booking of a hotel room in Birmingham to provide an alibi and travel to collect a co-defendant.
- Incident: Drive-by shooting on Wulstan Street, Kirkdale (26 July last year)
- Weapon recovered: Glock pistol (DNA matched to Sands) plus another firearm
- Cash recovered: £50,000 found in Sports Direct bag
- Outcome: Sands admitted conspiracy to possess the Glock after being assaulted in prison
Alleged role of co-defendants
Jurors heard that three other men — Thomas Beverage, Johnathon Ford and Keiran Ingle — were present in the stolen BMW when three rounds were fired towards the open gate on Wulstan Street. The area was described in court as being associated with the Flowers organised crime group.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date of shooting | 26 July (previous year) |
| Location | Wulstan Street, Kirkdale |
| Recovered evidence | Glock (DNA match), another firearm, £50,000 |
| Combined sentence reported | Nearly 35 years (for Sands and three co-defendants) |
The court was told details of travel in the days before the shooting: Ford had booked a hotel room in Birmingham for Beverage on 25 July, and men later travelled to the West Midlands to collect a co-defendant. The hotel booking was extended, the prosecution said, "in a move designed to act as cover for the drive-by shooting." CCTV evidence a witness described sightings of a Hyundai Santa Fe and the stolen BMW in locations linked to the incident.
Sands, a mechanic by trade, was said to have been at McDonald's minutes before the shots were fired. The attack in custody was described as leaving him in tears in court as sentencing was passed. The four men — Sands, Beverage, Ford and Ingle — received a combined total of almost 35 years behind bars.
The case underlines continuing concerns about organised violence in parts of Liverpool and the challenges in preventing weapons getting into the hands of criminal groups. The court proceedings included detailed evidence about planning and movements in the days leading up to the shooting.
Further reporting will follow as more details from the sentencing remarks and police comment become available.
