Liverpool murder victim Patrick Boyle died through ‘frightful violence’ says priest at Lurgan funeral

Canon Liam Stevenson was speaking at the Requiem Mass in Lurgan for Mr Boyle who was shot dead in Liverpool on July 1.

The 26-year-old father of two had been walking along a street when he was shot twice in the chest.

His funeral, at St Peter’s Church in Lurgan today, heard how the partner of the young father of two is expecting their third child.

Canon Liam Stevenson said: “He died so young. He had so many potential dreams to be realised.

“But all this was cut short so abruptly and so violently on Thursday 1st of July. So what will July have in future years for this family, a July full of past memories.

“Patrick’s time to be born was back in 1995 to parents Elaine and Robbie in Lurgantarry with siblings Joseph, Shauneen and David and Megan who died as a baby.

“There were sad occasions in Patrick’s life and of course there were happy and pleasant memories also.

“He met his girlfriend Ashleigh and they were happy together. He loved his children Amelia-Rose and Clay aged only seven and one and a half respectively.

“This belief in an afterlife somewhat softens the reality of Patrick’s sudden tragic death, the reality of a grave and the reality of a coffin.

“Jesus is with us in our despair and grief at the loss of someone to frightful violence which robbed Patrick of his life and his future.

“Patrick attended St Anthony’s Primary School out in Craigavon, our neighbouring parish until he left Ireland aged seven with his parents and with his siblings to a new life and a new beginning in the Huyton district of Liverpool.

“He attended St Margaret Mary’s Primary School and he transferred to St Edmund’s Secondary School leaving formal education at the age of 16.

“He had a great hobby of sitting on the beach looking west towards Ireland and watching the sunset with his dog.

“Another hobby was mountain climbing, discovering waterfalls and enjoying swimming in that fresh water.

“He was also happy living with Ashleigh who was working as a nurse in the Royal Hospital in Liverpool.

“On the day he was murdered, he went to visit friends and on his way home he texted Ashleigh to say he was on the way home.

“Sadly he never made home due to his appalling, dreadful murder at the young age of 26.

“Today we lay to rest a young man of 26, a father, a boyfriend, a son and grandson, a nephew, an uncle and a grand nephew, a cousin and a good friend of many.”

Canon Stevenson offered his sincere sympathy to his girlfriend Ashleigh and his two children Amelia-Rose and Clay, his mother Elaine and his father Robbie, his grandmother Gemma and Brian Hughes, his sister Shauneen and brothers Joseph and David and the whole family circle.

His sister Shauneen spoke at the end of Mass in tribute to her brother.

She said: “You were a big teddybear and a friend full of hope. You gave great big hugs. You were a father of two, Amelia and Clay and a baby on the way. You had a girlfriend Ashleigh and you talked so fondly of her and loved her dearly.

“You were happy and in the last few months of your life your eyes were filled with joy.

“You once told me your happy place was looking up at the sky. Now I know why. You are looking down on us now, all the family and friends you loved and who loved you deeply.

“Someone told me the other day God needed an angel. Well wee man, I think you make a good angel. You are our angel now.

“There will always be a space in our hearts with your name on it.

“I will always remember all the crazy, mad times we had when we were kids. We will never forget you, wee man. We love you. Never forget your children. You will be remembered always. You are loved so so much. It is hard to beleive you are gone. You made a great son and the best wee brother.

“I told you not that long ago I was so proud of you. I was always proud of you.

“You loved outdoors with your dog Nash, going to the beaches, the forests and seeing the waterfalls. You were just so full of life.

“I promise to bring your kids with the help of Ashleigh to remember the fun-loving, kind person you were, to all the places you loved.

“Rest in peace little man. You will always be my baby brother. Miss you every single day. There is nothing that will take my memories away from me.

“It is not goodbye, this is see you one day. Lots of love, your big sis Shauneen.”

Mr Boyle was the dearly loved boyfriend of Ashleigh and loving father of Amelia-Rose and Clay, the son of Elaine and grandson of Gemma and Brian Hughes.

He is also the brother of Joseph, Shauneen, David and the late Megan and much loved uncle of Ryan.

Merseyside Police said: “Detectives investigating the fatal shooting of a man in Huyton on Thursday 1st July, are appealing directly to anyone with dashcam footage to come forward.

“Shortly after 5.55pm, emergency services were called to Newway following reports that a man had been shot twice in the chest in the street.

“The man, formally identified as 26-year-old Patrick Boyle from Liverpool, was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead a short time later.

“A Home Office Post Mortem has confirmed the cause of Mr Boyle’s death as gunshot injuries to the chest.

“An investigation continues with house-to-house, CCTV and forensic enquiries having been carried out in the local area.

“Detectives are appealing for any drivers who were in the area around the time of the shooting and may have dashcam to come forward.”

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Hurst, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are supporting Mr Boyle’s family through what is clearly an extremely difficult time for them. They have lost a son, father, brother and partner at a very young age, and we are doing everything in our power to make sure all of those responsible for taking Mr Boyle from them are brought to justice.

“While we have spoken to potential witnesses, carried out an extensive forensic examination of the scene and are trawling through hours of CCTV from the local area, we believe drivers in the vicinity could hold vital clues about what happened.

“If you have a dashcam and were in the vicinity of Newway between 5.30-6.30pm on Thursday, 1 July I urge you to check your footage for anything significant, in particular a man on a bike who we believe is responsible for Mr Boyle’s murder and who was reported to have ridden the bike in the direction of Liverpool Road.

Please contact us urgently if you have dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV footage from Newway and the surrounding area at that time. We continue to make good progress with the investigation, and any additional intelligence we can gather could be vital in bringing the man who did this to justice.”

Anyone with footage can upload it here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/05MP21M42-PO1.

If you have information about the incident, you can DM @MerPolCC or message Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook, quoting reference 21000459469. You can also pass information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or contact them via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.

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Funeral for NI man Patrick Boyle (26) shot dead in Liverpool Read full story here

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