Boys arrested following early morning disturbance in Kirkby

Detectives are appealing for information following a serious incident in Kirkby in the early hours of this morning, Wednesday 12 March.

At around 2.45am, officers were called to Beattock Close in Tower Hill to reports of a disturbance involving a group of youths.

Two boys, aged 13 and 15, were found with injuries believed to have been caused by a bladed weapon. Both boys were arrested on suspicion of Section 18 causing Grievous Bodily Harm and are receiving treatment in hospital.

A 32-year-old woman from Maghull has today been arrested on suspicion of Affray and Possession of an offensive weapon and taken to a police station for questioning.

House-to-house, CCTV and other enquiries are continuing in the area today and we will be providing a high visibility presence while information is gathered.

Detective Chief Inspector Ben Wayment said: “This appears to have been a targeted attack and we are working hard to establish the circumstances. If you live locally and saw or heard anything, please come forward.

“Likewise, if you can check any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell devices and pass on any information to us as soon as possible. Although three people are under arrest, our investigation continues apace, so if you haven’t yet come forward, please do so.”

Knowsley Superintendent Karl Baldwin said: “We realise that this will be an extremely concerning incident for the communities of Kirkby and beyond. Incidents of such a violent nature have no place in Kirkby or anywhere in Merseyside. We are acutely aware of the harm caused by people carrying and using weapons, and I want to reiterate that investigating and reducing such incidents is an absolute priority for Merseyside Police.

“Many people will also have understandable questions as to why people of this age are on the streets in the early hours. For that reason, this is an opportunity to appeal to all parents and guardians to take responsibility for those in your care. Please ensure that you know the whereabouts of young people, to help us ensure they are not putting themselves and others in potentially harmful situations, as we saw last night.

“Our officers will be in the area today to speak to those who live and work in the area. If you know something, please tell the officers so that we can find those involved and keep the community safe. Working alongside our partners in youth services, we will respond to all information to take positive action on violent crime so tell us what you know and we will do the rest.

“The recent Youth Commission survey highlighted how much the communities expect us to prioritise this work, and the wide range of efforts being made. The vast majority of our young people will thankfully live lives unaffected by knife crime, but key to the success of such work is information coming in when an incident happens, so please come forward.” Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.