Mobster Liam Byrne’s son parties while his dad is banged up in British jail

Lee Byrne (24) is photographed here enjoying the festivities with his partner Lilly-Ella Gerrard – the daughter of former Liverpool captain Steven

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By

Crime Correspondent

• 07:32, 2 JAN 2024

Mob boss Liam Byrne’s son has been snapped enjoying New Year’s – while his father is banged up in a British jail.

Lee Byrne (24) is photographed here enjoying the festivities with his partner Lilly-Ella Gerrard – the daughter of former Liverpool captain Steven.

Ms Gerrard, who has been in a relationship with Lee Byrne since 2022, posted “Happy New year 2024” and called him her “best friend” on an Instagram post early yesterday.

The post came as Mr Byrne, who has no involvement in organised crime, enjoyed the festive period in the Middle East with Steven Gerrard and members of the former Liverpool star’s family.

He joined his girlfriend for Christmas in Saudi Arabia where her footballer manager father is based.

The heat of Saudi Arabia is a far cry from the austere London prison where Lee’s father Liam has been locked up since the middle of last month.

Liam (43) was extradited from Spain amid tight security on December 12 and is facing up to life in prison as he faces a total of 12 firearms related charges – and a further charge of perverting the course of justice, something which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment in the UK.

The full details of all the charges only emerged after Byrne appeared before a hearing of Westminster Magistrates Court in a surprise appearance following his extradition from Spain by elite officers of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

In total Byrne is facing three charges of conspiring to possess a firearm without a certificate, three charges of conspiring to possess ammunition for a firearm without a certificate, two charges of conspiracy to possess a prohibited automatic weapon, three charges of conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons, conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon – and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Byrne faces up to five years in prison for each of the firearms possession charges alone and up to 10 years for conspiring to possess an automatic weapon – while the charges of conspiring to sell or transfer weapons also carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Byrne is set to appear before the Crown Court at London’s Old Bailey on January 8 – with the case now listed for trial.

The mobster is likely to be offered his first opportunity to plead in the case on that date. Should he plead not guilty, a date for a full trial is likely to be the next step.

Byrne, whose brother David was shot dead in Dublin’s Regency Hotel in February 2016, was escorted back to the UK by the NCA’s Joint International Crime Centre.

Byrne, who is originally from Crumlin, was arrested in June when he was eating at a restaurant in the Alcudia area of Mallorca.

He had flown into Palma Airport from Dubai – the home of mob boss Daniel Kinahan, on May 26 last year.

The NCA’s intelligence led investigation was supported by the Spanish National Police and gardai. His arrest came after officers obtained warrants – and after a meticulous investigation that was sparked from encrypted messages discovered on Encrochat.