In August 2022, the lives of three families in Liverpool were shattered by gun crime, prompting a new targeted response to tackle serious and organised crime.
At 11:40pm on August 16, 22-year-old Sam Rimmer was shot in Dingle and passed away a short time after. Five days later, 28-year-old Ashley Dale was killed in Old Swan and the following day nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was fatally shot in Dovecot.
Ashley and Olivia were in their own homes – places that should have been safest.
These tragic murders of three innocent people led to Merseyside Police being given funding by the Home Office to begin a Clear, Hold, Build operation, known locally as EVOLVE, designed to reclaim areas worst affected by serious and organised crime and rebuild safer, stronger communities.
It offers a holistic approach combining enforcement with long-term prevention.
Delivered in partnership with other agencies including Knowsley Council it aims to tackle criminality and its underlying causes.
Merseyside was one of the first forces in the UK to implement this model, ahead of its national rollout in January 2023.
Merseyside now has four Clear, Hold, Build projects, including in Knowsley.
Each phase has a distinct purpose. Clear focuses on disrupting and removing criminals from communities, Hold aims to stabilize the area and prevent the return of criminal activity, and Build works to strengthen communities and reduce vulnerability to crime.
Since the launch of the first Clear and Hold phases following Sam, Ashley and Olivia’s murders in August 2022, the impact has been substantial.
Across the four EVOLVE areas there have been:
- More than 5,300 arrests
- Around 630kg of Class A and B drugs seized with an estimated street value of several million pounds
- Around £2.5 million seized in cash and assets – this is being reinvested into communities via participatory budget events and other schemes
- More than 260 offensive weapons and 28 firearms seized
- Hundreds of warrants executed
- More than 6,500 stop-searches carried out
- More than 440 vulnerable people safeguarded
- Some offenders have been sentenced to a total of more than 700 years in prison
- Community intelligence has increased by more than 300% across the four sites equating to thousands of reports
- All crime has fallen across each of the areas. In EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley it has fallen by 11%
- ASB has fallen across each of the areas. In EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley it has fallen by 5%
- Knife crime (section 18 stabbings) has also fallen across each of the areas. In EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley it has fallen by 12.5%
Detective Chief Superintendent Graeme Robson, who leads EVOLVE, said: “This is not just about numbers – this is about lives. No family should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one to crime.
“While serious and organised crime in Merseyside is falling, one weapon fired is one too many.
“We are working tirelessly with our partners to create safer communities. The results are impressive, but we are not stopping here.
“Young people are key to creating lasting change. We are working closely with schools and youth organisations to educate young people and try to prevent them from going down the wrong path or falling victim to criminal gangs looking to exploit them for their financial gain.
“The wider community also plays a vital role. Law-abiding residents don’t want to live in the shadows of gangs and we have seen an increase in reports to Crimestoppers and our Force since 2022.
“This information, combined with the work of dedicated teams, is helping drive real change.
“Every piece of information helps us to protect more lives, so we urge the public to keep coming forward so we can continue to make a difference – together.
“We have brought Ashley, Olivia and Elle’s killers to justice, but we are still seeking justice for Sam and his family. I encourage anyone with information to do the right thing and tell us what you know.”
Julie Dale, Ashley’s mum, said: “On August 21, 2022, at 3:45am our world was changed forever. We were told the horrific news that my 28-year-old daughter Ashley had been brutally murdered in her own home.
“She had been shot in her kitchen – her home, the one place where she should have been safe.
“The past three years have been a living nightmare trying to come to terms with what has happened to Ashley and navigating a life and future without her in it.
“After Ashley’s murder we were told that crime reporting had risen significantly. This heinous crime had shaken the community and people had had enough.
“We count ourselves one of the ‘lucky’ ones as we have been able to get justice for Ashley.
“Without the support of the community, who knows what position we would be in now?
“Sadly, there are families who are still waiting for their justice knowing that their loved one’s killers are still out there walking our streets.
“No parent should have to go through this. Losing a child in such an horrific way and knowing that someone knows who has committed these crimes is just unbearable.
“So, I appeal to anyone who may have information that could help give the families the justice they deserve and help ease the lifelong pain they are facing to come forward to police or Crimestoppers.”
Cheryl Korbel, Olivia’s mum, said: “My little girl was only nine years old when she was shot in her own home. She had her whole life ahead of her and the pain of her loss is indescribable.
“It has been three years since I last heard her laugh, put her to bed or held her hand but the pain of her loss still feels like it happened yesterday.
“I will never see her grow up, get married, have children of her own or fulfil her dreams and that is devastating.
“EVOLVE was created to help prevent further tragedies and other families from having to endure the pain we feel every single day.
“While it’s making a difference we need your help. To keep our communities safest, if you know anything about criminality, please speak out.”
Activity carried out by Knowsley Council services within the EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley area covering Huyton and Page Moss since its launch includes:
- Environmental health action days held in Page Moss tackling littering, fly tipping, graffiti, dog fouling and pest control
- Health roadshows visiting EVOLVE areas
- Local school children involved in cultural projects
- New children’s play equipment installed at Hillside Community Centre, as well as improvement works to the surrounding green spaces
- A number of community walkabouts organised by the Crime and Communities team in conjunction with partner agencies
- Seizure of 931 illegal vape products by Knowsley Trading Standards that led to two prosecutions
- Continued support to St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Junior School (School leavers pay tribute to Olivia Pratt-Korbel – Knowsley News)
- Multi-agency action days in the area
- Developed close links with Hillside Community Centre
- Supported the area to be a Crimestoppers site which has increased calls to Crimestoppers
- Launch of the ‘Be the Change’ project https://www.knowsleynews.co.uk/be-the-change/
- Creation of a community orchard at Jubilee Park and the approval of the Jubilee Sports Facilities and Pavilion Improvement Project
- Winter Wellness Fund support for local community groups including Renew Wellbeing Café at Page Moss Lane Baptist Church
- Renovations now completed on all properties at Primrose Court following major improvement works
- Oak Plantation Community Woodland turned into an accessible and improved natural public open space for the local area following £26,000 investment by Knowsley Council
Councillor Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council, said: “Serious and organised crime has no place in our communities and our residents will not tolerate it.
“In Knowsley we continue to work tirelessly with our community safety partners to help ensure people feel safe and happy where they live, without the fear of serious and organised crime disrupting their lives.
“We have already seen from the ongoing success of our ‘Be the Change’ project that a message of hope and togetherness resonates with people more powerfully than the fear criminal gangs feed on.
“We will continue to work together to tackle serious and organised crime and leave criminals with nowhere left to turn.”
EVOLVE’s Silence is Not an Option campaign aims to educate people about the signs of gang activity and encourage reporting to break the cycle of gang crime by making an anonymous report to Crimestoppers.
To learn more and make an online report, which only you will know you made, see here: Give information 100% anonymously about organised crime in Merseyside | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)