Johnathon Ford, Keiran Ingle and Reece Sands face a series of drugs and firearms charges following the incident on Wulstan Street in Kirkdale
Police at the scene on Wulstan Street in Kirkdale (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
A man told a court “see you soon” ahead of his trial after shots were fired in the street. Johnathon Ford, Keiran Ingle and Reece Sands have been charged with a series of drugs and firearms offences following the incident on Wulstan Street in Kirkdale.
Count one accuses them of conspiring together and with another man, Thomas Beveridge, to possess a firearm, namely a 9mm parabellum Glock self-loading pistol, with intent to endanger life on July 26 this year. A second charge of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon meanwhile alleges that the four men had possession of the same weapon between July 1 and August 28 this year.
Further offences of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon and conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate meanwhile relate to the possession of another firearm, namely a Taurus 44 Magnum calibre revolver and 13 bullets, between these same dates. They are also accused of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine during this period.
Appearing before Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon, Monday, the three defendants spoke to confirm their names and dates of birth before pleading not guilty to all six charges. They will now face a two-week trial, beginning on March 9 next year, and were further remanded into custody ahead of a pre-trial review on February 13.
After Judge Anil Murray adjourned the case, Sands, who wore a grey Rab coat, was heard to say “love you” to his supporters in the public gallery as he was led from the dock to the cells. Ford and Ingle meanwhile appeared via video link to HMP Altcourse, with one adding “see you soon” as the hearing was brought to a close.
The ECHO previously reported that officers were seen searching a drain and alleyway after shots were allegedly fired in the area, with Merseyside Police receiving reports of two holes being found in a metal gate at an address near to the junction with Stanley Road on July 27, 2025. The incident itself was believed to have occurred at around 10.15pm the previous evening, with no injuries having apparently been sustained as a result.
Police on Wulstan Street, Kirkdale(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
House-to-house enquiries were also carried out as part of investigations, with Detective Inspector John Mullen having said at the time: “We received a report of a possible firearms discharge, and enquiries are being carried out to establish the circumstance. This is a residential area and there will be people who may have witnessed the incident, and I urge those people to tell us what you know.
“Thankfully, there are no reports of injuries, but to fire a gun in a residential area is clearly an extremely reckless and dangerous act which could have led to tragic circumstances. If you know anything, please tell us and we’ll take action to find those responsible and bring them to justice.”
Police on Wulstan Street in Kirkdale (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
Ford, aged 31 and of Lincoln Crescent in Bootle, 26-year-old Ingle, of Alderney Road in Vauxhall, and 22-year-old Sands, of Bigdale Drive in Kirkby, were then charged in October. Detective Inspector Chris Clark from the force’s firearms investigation team added at this stage: “Merseyside Police is relentless in our pursuit of anyone involved in gun crime and serious organised crime.
“Offenders should be assured that we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to take their weapons off them and that time is no barrier in our efforts to bring people to justice. We know that guns cause misery on our streets, and we would ask for the public’s help in coming forward with any bit of information they have so we can find the people responsible.”