Ryan Walsh-Westhead is the fourth man accused of the murder of 36-year-old Rikki Berry
Rikki Berry(Image: Merseyside Police)
The moment Rikki Berry’s killers carried out an alleged “reconnaissance” mission minutes before the fatal shooting was caught on camera. A black Seat Ateca Cupra car was spotted driving at the junction of Clorain Road and Quarryside Drive in Kirkby six minutes before the 36-year-old victim, known as “Nuggy”, was shot dead.
The murder occurred outside Mr Berry’s girlfriend’s house in Quarryside Drive on July 17 2024. Three men, Michael Smith, Adam Williams and Connor Walsh, were found guilty of his murder following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court in February last year.
Now a fourth man, Connor Walsh’s nephew Ryan Walsh-Westhead, stands accused of the crime. The 25-year-old, of Farrier Road in Kirkby, pleaded not guilty to murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Opening the case yesterday, February 2, prosecutor David McLachlan KC said: “On Wednesday the 17th July 2024 at 6.33pm, CCTV from Quarryside Drive, Kirkby, captured a black Seat Ateca Cupra car travelling along the road. The CCTV also captured an electric bike which was travelling in the same direction as, and in convoy with, the black Seat Ateca Cupra, but the electric bike was being ridden along the pavement.
“As the black Seat Ateca Cupra approached the front of Quarryside Drive it slowed down to a stop. It is the prosecution’s case that this defendant, Ryan Walsh-Westhead, and two other men, Adam Williams and Connor Walsh, were all in that vehicle as it came to a stop outside Quarryside Drive.
“At the same time, the rider of the electric bike, Michael Smith, who was wearing a balaclava and gloves, also slowed down almost to a stop. The rider then fired four shots towards the door of Quarryside Drive.
“The target of the shooting was Rikki Berry who was also known as Nuggy. He was in the front garden of Quarryside Drive at the time.”
Three of the shots made contact with Mr Berry, the court heard. The fatal wound was a gunshot to the chest.
Mr McLachlan said: “It is the prosecution’s case that all four men were involved in the shooting of Rikki Berry; the shooter, Michael Smith, who was on the electric bike and fired the shots, and the three men who were in the black Seat Ateca Cupra which was travelling in convoy with the bike.
“Adam Williams, Connor Walsh and this defendant Ryan Walsh-Westhead, all of whom were there to oversee the shooting.”
From left; Adam Williams, Michael Smith and Connor Walsh(Image: Merseyside Police)
Extensive CCTV footage played to the court this morning, February 3, showed the movement of the Seat Ateca before and after Mr Berry’s murder. In a police timeline, described by detective inspector Graham Sutton, the jury watched videos of the car travelling from Kirkby to the West Derby area, arriving on Yew Tree Lane at 5.59pm.
At several points throughout the journey, CCTV captured footage of the driver, who was wearing “a long-sleeved, light coloured top”. Another person could be seen in the back passenger seat.
The court heard at 5.59pm, the car turned from Yew Tree Lane onto St Andrew’s Avenue, where it remained for six minutes and 54 seconds. It was then seen making a U-turn back onto Yew Tree Lane, as the prosecution alleged the men embarked on their “reconnaissance” mission.
Then at 6.08pm, it was seen driving in the Princess Drive/Finch Lane area towards Liverpool Road. Det insp Sutton said: “Three persons can be seen in the vehicle, with the driver again seen wearing a long-sleeved light coloured top.”
At 6.22pm, the car was caught on Simonswood Lane turning onto Westhead Avenue, then right onto Minstead Avenue, leading towards Quarryside Drive.
A minute later at 6.23pm, 10 minutes before the shooting, Rikki Berry could be seen in the front garden of his girlfriend’s house, using a toolbox. At the same time, the Seat Ateca turned from Quarryside Drive onto Bigdale Drive, and continued along Brookhey Drive, Roughwood Drive, Birbeck Road and Darmond Road.
At 6.26pm, the car was seen driving in the direction of Clorain Road, and det insp Sutton said: “CCTV stills show the vehicle with the front seats occupied. The driver is wearing a long sleeved light-coloured top while the passenger is wearing a distinctly darker top. We see the silhouette of a rear driver side passenger.”
The car slowed to a brief stop as it reached the end of Clorain Road, before turning left onto Muirhead Avenue.
It was then the prosecution said the killers started travelling back towards Quarryside Drive. Michael Smith, dressed all in black with a balaclava over his face, was caught on CCTV riding his electric bike on Minshead Avenue, with the black Seat Ateca close behind.
At 6.33pm, the group arrived outside Mr Berry’s girlfriend’s address, where Smith fired four shots, killing Mr Berry as he stood in the doorway.
After the shooting, the bike and black Seat continued east along Quarryside Drive. Smith turned left onto Simonswood Lane in the direction of the Liverpool FC training grounds, while the car went right towards Farrier Road and stopped outside Walsh-Westhead’s address.
Mr McLachlan said: “There it’s alleged Ryan Walsh-Westhead and Connor Walsh alight the vehicle. That’s the prosecution’s assertion, and it’s not accepted by Ryan Walsh-Westhead that he got out of that car.”
CCTV footage of the Seat Ateca travelling down Simonswood Lane at 6.33pm, just seconds after the shooting, showed the driver wearing a dark-coloured top. The driver was identified as Adam Williams.
The Seat Ateca pulled up on Farrier Road at 6.34pm, and two figures, identified as Walsh-Westhead and his uncle Connor Walsh, were seen approaching Walsh-Westhead’s address.
Ring doorbell footage captured the two men entering the property as the car drove away in the background. It is the prosecution’s case that Walsh-Westhead could be heard to say: “The f***ing idiot’s dead”, before telling Walsh to “shut the gate”.
It is also the prosecution’s case that Walsh-Westhead was then seen closing the gate before returning to the front door, saying: “Did ya get him? Did ya get Nuggy?”
Det insp Sutton told the court: “The Ring doorbell footage shows Ryan Walsh-Westhead and Connor Walsh arrive at Farrier Road. The black Seat is seen travelling right to left past the address. Ryan Walsh-Westhead can be seen wearing a grey, long-sleeved top.”
Opening the case at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Mr McLachlan said: “It is the prosecution’s case that Ryan Walsh-Westhead was not only in the black Seat Ateca Cupra at the time of the shooting, but that he was also driving it before the murder.”
The trial continues.