Westerdale Drive in the coastal village of Banks appears as an ideal suburban retreat, lined with spacious detached homes and tidy gardens under silver birch trees. Families have long chosen this cul-de-sac for its serene escape from the bustle of Liverpool and Manchester. However, the tranquility now faces constant disruption from two notorious Liverpool gangsters residing just doors apart at the street’s southern end.
Notorious Residents Disrupt Neighborhood
Stephen Clarke, a crime boss in his late fifties, and his associate Paul Lawler, 47, share the street with professionals and young families. Local residents describe a pattern of disturbances, including cocaine-fueled parties and violent outbursts. One incident involved shattered windows at a nearby house, though no suspects were identified.
Dramatic Knife Chase on Christmas
On December 27, 2025, witnesses saw Lawler emerge from nearby undergrowth brandishing a knife while wearing only a dressing gown. He chased a random dog walker before fleeing toward a local petrol station. “He was in a dressing gown and had a big knife,” one resident recalled. “He chased a dog walker and then ran off.”
Authorities dispatched an armed response team after the dog walker’s call. Lawler, reportedly on a cocaine binge that started on Christmas Eve—after being ejected from a bar for spilling and recovering drugs—now serves a 16-month sentence for knife possession.
Lawler’s Extensive Criminal Record
Lawler, a former Birkdale High School student weighing 17 stone and trained in kickboxing, has a history of violence. In 2013, he received a 10-year sentence as part of Clarke’s organized crime ring. Police arrested him while he flushed cocaine down the toilet, discovering a cannabis farm in his garage. He admitted to officers he was “off the trolley” from heavy drug use.
Further incidents include a 2019 CCTV-captured assault knocking a man unconscious in Southport and a 2021 cannabis farm discovery that avoided prison time.
Clarke and the Family Crime Network
Clarke moved to Westerdale Drive in 2007 following a prison term for illegal gun possession—a .357 Magnum found in his wife’s handbag at a Nottingham diner. His prior Kirkby home had been targeted by rivals. With brother Peter, a former Army corporal often seen in body armor, Clarke ran a drug operation exporting cannabis grown in Southport and cocaine sourced from the Netherlands to Northern Ireland, generating an estimated £2 million.
The gang stored knives, machetes, guns, bullets, and magazines in suitcases. Clarke hosted raucous parties with Merseyside figures, including one MasterChef contestant. A notable clash ended with him allegedly punching and urinating on a guest.
Police surveillance led to 2013 convictions: Stephen got 10 years and six months for smuggling £4 million in drugs; Peter received 16 years for drugs and firearms; Lawler joined them behind bars.
Residents Fear Lawler’s Release
Both Clarke brothers are believed released, but anxiety mounts over Lawler’s impending freedom. “My main concern is what happens when Paul comes out,” said a nearby man. “He is a drug addict… The incident at Christmas was the final straw. There are young families here.”
Another neighbor added: “That Lawler is a complete nutter… We are stuck with him and his mates. He is deranged.” Banks, already stunned by 2024 resident Axel Rudakubana’s Southport murders, grapples with this ongoing threat to its peaceful reputation.
