Gunmen Ambushed Teenager on E-Bike, Jury Hears

Two masked men ambushed a teenager and shot him in the back as he rode by on an electric bike, a jury at Liverpool Crown Court was told.

Nyle Corrigan, 19, was hit by a single bullet from a Glock 9mm handgun on Boode Croft in Stockbridge Village, Knowsley, at 6:30 p.m. on November 12, 2020. Four men are on trial for his murder, and a man and a woman face charges of assisting an offender.

Prosecutor Richard Wright KC described the attack as “ruthlessly efficient” and said Mr. Corrigan was targeted after a dispute over a £60 debt. Wright alleged that Martin Wilson, 37, was the shooter, aided by 26-year-old Connor Smith, who helped set a “trap” for Mr. Corrigan. Two other men, Jamie Coggins, 28, and Anthony Llewelyn, 25, are accused of assisting in planning the murder.

All four defendants deny charges of murder and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life. Connor Smith’s parents, Melanie Smith, 47, and Mark Sharpe, 49, are also on trial, accused of helping him flee to Portsmouth en route to Spain. They both deny assisting an offender.

Wright told the jury, “This was not a random act of street violence, but a planned and targeted attack by a team who staked out the location, anticipating the victim’s arrival.” CCTV footage played in court showed Mr. Corrigan riding through Boode Croft, where he was shot and later staggered into view before collapsing. Two suspects were seen approaching him briefly before riding off on his Sur Ron bike. Paramedics arrived, but he was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m.

The court heard that the shooting followed a heated dispute between Mr. Corrigan and a friend of Mr. Wilson, Liam Cohen, over a £60 debt. Facebook messages indicated Mr. Corrigan grew increasingly frustrated as Cohen ignored his requests for payment. The tension escalated after Mr. Corrigan allegedly insulted Cohen’s partner, leading Wilson to become “incensed.” The night before the shooting, a group of masked men, allegedly including Wilson, showed up outside Mr. Corrigan’s family home, threatening his mother and warning that her son would be “getting it.”

The prosecution also presented CCTV evidence showing Wilson buying black gloves, hats, and face masks on the day of the shooting. Later, two masked men were reportedly seen getting into a car in Stockbridge Village, which the prosecution claims was driven by Mr. Coggins, while Mr. Llewelyn was in telephone contact with the defendants and Mr. Corrigan before the shooting.

The prosecution acknowledged Mr. Corrigan’s involvement in local cannabis sales, suggesting his movements could have been predictable. The murder weapon was later recovered in an unrelated police operation and found to be defective, with a malfunction preventing a second shot from being fired.

The defendants deny any involvement, claiming the evidence is merely an “unfortunate coincidence.” The trial is ongoing.