Our headline, “Whose side are you on?”, seemed to strike a chord in the city. We used the front page of Wednesday’s Liverpool Echo to appeal directly to anyone with information to do the right thing, urging them to shun a senseless criminal code and instead help bring Olivia’s killer to justice. We couldn’t and shouldn’t let that happen again.
I’d not long joined the Echo when young Rhys was murdered, and the wall of silence that greeted murder squad detectives only prolonged the agony for his devastated family. Because, as Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said, Olivia’s death “crosses every single boundary”. Because hot on the heels of the disbelief and despair came a steely determination that a so-called no-grass culture that pervades parts of this city did not hamper the police investigation and prevent Olivia’s killer being brought to justice. Capturing the mood of Liverpool and reflecting the feelings of our audience is at the heart of the Liverpool Echo, the newspaper I edit, and has been for the 140-plus years we’ve been privileged to serve this city.Īnd as editor, I knew on this occasion that reporting the facts was never going to be enough. Our city was once again a focal point for the UK media for all the wrong reasons. The sad truth is it was the third gun death in Liverpool in just a week, after the killings of Sam Rimmer and Ashley Dale. They’re bringing it in through the front door.” They’re not just bringing this violence to people’s front doors.
Who wouldn’t be tempted to open the front door after hearing a noise outside?Īs my colleague at the Liverpool Echo, Jenny Kirkham, said, talking to BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour: “Olivia was where she was supposed to be on Monday. It’s the summer holidays, and front doors across Liverpool are open as children play in the street.
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