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Liam Byrne’s son posts image of caged dad just hours after posing with Steven Gerrard

Liam Byrne has already appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court and is due to appear again on January 8.

Today at 13:17

INFLUENCER Lee Byrne has posted a supportive photograph of his crime boss father Liam – just days after enjoying a Christmas break with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

In the image shared on Instagram, Lee (24) is seen with his arm around his old man as the pair share a few drinks with relative Nathan ‘Biggie’ Little.

Liam Byrne (43) is due before the courts in London on January 8, facing criminal charges relating to the alleged supply of firearms to crime gangs. He was extradited from Spain on December 12 after proceedings launched by the UK’s National Crime Agency.

A long running Encrochat investigation discovered alleged criminality on behalf of the Crumlin man, whose two Dublin homes were recently sold for more than €500,000 after being seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

In one image seen below, the back garden of the Raleigh Square home can be seen overgrown, with a children’s playground long since removed.

Lee is in a relationship with Lilly-Ella Gerrard – the daughter of former Liverpool captain Steven – since early 2022. The young Dubliner has become very close to the Gerrard family, joining his girlfriend for Christmas in Saudi Arabia where the former Kop idol is based.

None have any involvement in criminality.

While son Lee is enjoying the high life in the Middle East and has been pictured in a number of top eateries, his father’s situation has been deteriorating rapidly since he was arrested while dining in a restaurant in the Alcudia area of Mallorca in early June while on a family holiday.

Byrne had flown into Palma Airport from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on May 26.

The alleged gang boss now faces several charges in Britain, including conspiring to possess a firearm without a certificate; possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate; possessing a prohibited weapon; possessing prohibited ammunition and perverting the course of justice.

Byrne’s nephew, Jack Kavanagh (22), is also facing charges. He was nabbed in Málaga at roughly the same time as Liam whilst travelling from Dubai to Turkey.

Mr Kavanagh grew up in Tamworth in Britain and is the son of Thomas “Bomber” Kavanagh, the Kinahan Cartel boss who was jailed for 21 years in Britain last year for his role in directing operations for the crime gang.

Meanwhile, former Liverpool captain Stevie Gerrard has enjoyed at least one trip to Dublin with his daughter’s pals and was snapped travelling in a car with Little and also at Conor McGregor’s Blackforge Inn wearing a green cap, whilst making a victory / peace sign.

Liam Byrne has been a lifelong Liverpool fan and regularly attended games at Anfield. It was reported that betting slips and football memorabilia, including boots, were found when Gardaí raided his former Crumlin home a number of years ago.

At that time, the Byrnes’ home had expanded into a mini-compound and the house had roughly trebled in size.

A new extension ran the full length of the back garden. That extension linked the main property to another building built at the end of the garden. A small courtyard and the children’s padded playground had been constructed over the grass.

Inside the house, the windows were reportedly bulletproof, with reinforced and explosion proof doors as well as a state-of-the-art CCTV system to monitor the property inside and out.

A bar, home cinema, jacuzzi and a gym had also been installed, with high-spec fixtures and fittings throughout the property, a far cry from a London prison cell.