'Keep looking over your shoulder until we knock at your door'

A detective has warned those involved in violent disorder "you're going to spend a long time looking over your shoulder". It comes in the week a "pack of animals" were locked up for nearly 50 years after a boxer was stabbed in the heart - and Merseyside Police made their 100th arrest for violent disorder in Merseyside.

Anthony Dodson, now aged 22, was left with life-threatening injuries after fighting broke out in a Liverpool city centre nightclub before spilling out into the street. He was found at around 5.30am on Wednesday, December 27 last year with stab wounds at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel.

Earlier this week, six men and a teenage boy were locked up in connection with the stabbing following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The six thugs were handed custodial terms totalling 46 years, the 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named of legal reasons, was handed five-and-a-half years in a young offenders' institute and another of the defendants was given a 15 month sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work.

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Speaking to the ECHO today, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said if it wasn't for the intervention of police officers and emergency services on the night of the stabbing he is "convinced those injuries would have resulted in a homicide". He also spoke of the complexities of the investigation.

DCI Roberts said: "An investigation then took place involving hours upon hours reviewing CCTV, taking witness statements and forensic examination at the scene in order to assist us in identifying who was responsible for that attack. We have now seen in the culmination of that investigation eight people, so seven male adults and a 17-year-old male sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court for the role they played in that attack."

He added: "It was a complex investigation because of its geographical location and a scene of significant size within Liverpool city centre. We knew the initial attack has taken place in and just outside a bar on Victoria Street and then had moved down towards the White Chapel area, where young Anthony sustained significant stab injuries during the course of this and collapsed at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel."

Jordan Kinsella, 30, Cameron Quinn, 21, Milne Critchley, 21, Adam Draper, 21, George Miller, 21, Lee Duffy, 20, Eugene Mason-Lamb, and a 17-year-old were sentenced for their part in the stabbing, however DCI Roberts said the investigation remains open. He said: "Just because we have seen eight people being convicted so far, that investigation in relation to other people being involved in that incident is continuing."

DCI Roberts also spoke around the wider sentencings which have taken place in relation to the violent disorder in Southport and Liverpool which broke out on July 30 and August 3 respectively. It comes after the 100th person was arrested today, Wednesday, September 11 in connection with the disorder. 62 people have so far been charged and 45 sentenced to nearly 100 years in prison due to their involvement in the violent scenes.

DCI Roberts told the ECHO: "In terms of the incidents in Southport and one week later in Liverpool, it was shocking and disgusting. That has involved in the course of the investigation reviewing hundreds and hundreds of hours of CCTV in order to be able to identify those people who were in attendance and involved in that disorder.

"The disorder that we saw in Southport and Liverpool caused such trauma and I hope now the sentences we have seen being passed sends a message, not only to communities within Merseyside, but wider as well." The detective said Merseyside Police has received "significant support" from the public coming forward with information, however he said some people will be receiving a "knock on the door".

He added: "We have received such significant support from communities in Merseyside and wider right across the north west, I would urge the communities to still continue with that support and keep providing us with that information because it has been invaluable in terms of identifying the people we want to speak to during the course of this investigation.

"What I would also urge, anyone who was involved in the disorder come speak to us because you're going to spend a long time looking over your shoulder waiting for that knock on the door, so I would also urge you to speak to Merseyside Police."

In connection with the December 27 stabbing; Kinsella, 30, of Harrogate Drive, Everton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was found guilty of section 20 assault and was jailed for four years. Quinn, 21, of Swanside Avenue, Huyton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was found guilty of two section 18 assaults. He was jailed for 12 years.

Critchley, 21, of Sprucewood Close, Anfield, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was found guilty of a section 18 assault. He was jailed for 10 years.

Draper, 21, of St David's Road, Huyton, pleaded guilty to section 20 assault. He was jailed for four years and issued with a two year Serious Violence Reduction Order (SRVO), which will take effect following his release.

Miller, 21, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was found guilty of s18 assault. He was jailed for 10 years. Duffy, 20, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was found guilty of possession of a bladed article, guilty of section 20 wounding and attempted s18 wounding with intent. He was jailed for six years.

Mason-Lamb, 30, of Hodder Road, Liverpool pleaded guilty to violent disorder and received a 15 month sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work.

The 17-year-old male pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon and found guilty of two section 18 assaults. He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in a young offenders institute.