Man suspected of cuckooing young mum's house arrested while toddler watched TV

A man suspected of cuckooing a young mum's house as part of a drug gang's operations was arrested while her toddler was watching TV.

A team of police officers, including two dressed in riot gear carrying a saw and battering rams, arrived at the street near the Beechwood estate shortly after 9am today, Thursday, May 16. After finding the door already open, the officers stormed into the house shouting "police with a warrant" and swiftly arrested a man suspected of being involved in organised crime in the area.

The sobering reality of who the true victims of crime are was laid bare by the shouts of a woman inside the house who said her young child was watching TV. A senior police officer later told the ECHO that the child was just a toddler, and that the house was "likely or is a cuckooed address". The house next door to the address had children's furniture stacked outside, while a toddler stood with her mum outside a community centre just 50 yards away.

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Merseyside Police later confirmed a 20-year-old man from the Bidston area was arrested on suspicion of importation and possession with intent to supply a Class B drug (ketamine). He was taken to a police station in Merseyside where he remains ahead of questioning. Separately, officers equipped with metal detectors and search equipment carried out land searches and discovered a suspected stolen motorbike, suspected stolen car and an offensive weapon.

The raid was just one of a number carried out in the area on a definitive day of action for Merseyside Police and its various partners on the Wirral. The day marked 12 months since the force started its Clear, Hold, Build initiative, known locally as EVOLVE Wirral. The programme, part-funded by the Home Office had already been rolled out successfully in other parts of Merseyside including in Huyton and Dovecot after the murder of schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

The three phase initiative uses a combination of targeted high-visibility police operations and covert policing tactics alongside activity from partners and input from residents to protect their communities and prevent organised crime groups from operating.

The Wirral programme was launched in the Woodchurch, Beechwood and Noctorum areas following the murder of Elle Edwards on Christmas Eve 2022. In the months following Ms Edwards' murder, Merseyside Police's operation targeted those involved in serious and organised crime which has resulted in the sentencing of Connor Chapman to 48 years in prison.

Eight hundred arrests have been made, hundreds of thousands of suspected drug seized and numerous organised crime group (OCG) members put behind bars. Officers have also removed a significant number of weapons, including firearms, crossbows and knives off the streets.

Community initiatives have since received £66,000, over a third of which was seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act, to help them build back cohesion and make it harder for gangs to wrestle back control.

Speaking to the ECHO, Superintendent Matthew Moscrop said: "These estates are full of decent people who behave themselves and don't like the criminals. But there have been some historic issues where gangs have operated from or associated themselves with the estates. It's where they feel secure, so that's why we target them there. We know the approach works.

"When we go in with a harder targeted policing approach it's great, but unless you back it up and hold the area and build up the community, then you are just fighting the same fight. We know the success we have had, but we know we have to be keeping people involved who like it and want to play their part. That's where we get the long-term success."

One of the community organisations that have benefited from the EVOLVE funding is the Tranmere Rovers Beechwood Recreation Centre. Manager Kelly Baker told the ECHO that the atmosphere on the Beechwood estate has changed since the funding came in, and when asked why, she added: "There was nothing here for them. Now with the funding it's given people aged three to 80 the opportunity to find a service.

"It's given the children something to do and somewhere to be safe. They have something continuous in their lives. The children around here have a lovely heart. They will speak and help people. [The funding] has made a massive impact because it's given them a different attitude to life. They know the funding that allows them to do their activities in their local community and mix with people from different areas comes from the police."

One of the most high profile successes is the significant drop in the number of firearms on the Wirral. Superintendent Moscrop said the force recorded "seven or eight in 2022 and since then we've had one". He added: "We have been very successful in taking people out. But I think people see the murder of Elle Edwards and how horrific it was, so some people in the criminal fraternity will say 'that's not where we want to go'.

"But we have taken out some major players and people realise it's not worth it. Connor Chapman got 48 years, they don't want that to happen. It's not worth it for them and it's hard for them to do damage with firearms if they are in prison. We have been successful in what we are doing, but I imagine there has also been a change in the criminal conduct.

"We know there are still firearms out there and people are prepared to use them, so we will keep going so if you know anything, let us know and we will do something about it."

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