Lined with spacious detached homes and tidy front gardens under silver birch trees, Westerdale Drive in the quiet coastal village of Banks appears ideal for a serene suburban life. Families have long sought refuge here from the bustle of Liverpool and Manchester, enjoying tranquility at the cul-de-sac’s edge. However, residents now share the street with two notorious Liverpool gangsters, shattering the peace for hardworking professionals and their children.
Recent Disturbances on Westerdale Drive
Stephen Clarke, a crime boss in his late fifties, and his associate Paul Lawler, 47, reside just doors apart at the southern end of the street. Neighbors report ongoing chaos, including cocaine-fueled benders and a violent birthday party where Clarke allegedly punched a guest and urinated on him.
In a alarming incident, gunfire shattered windows at a house on the road, though no suspects were identified. The latest event unfolded on December 27, 2025, when Lawler emerged from nearby undergrowth brandishing a knife while wearing a dressing gown. He chased a random dog walker before fleeing toward a petrol station.
‘He was in a dressing gown and had a big knife,’ one local man recalled. ‘He chased a dog walker and then ran off toward the petrol station. The dog walker called the police, and they sent an armed response team.’
Officials note Lawler had been on a cocaine binge starting Christmas Eve, after being ejected from a bar for spilling and retrieving a bag of the drug. He now serves a 16-month sentence for knife possession.
Criminal Backgrounds of the Residents
Lawler, a former Birkdale High School student, built a reputation for violence. In 2013, authorities jailed him for 10 years as part of Clarke’s crime ring. During his arrest, officers caught him flushing cocaine down the toilet amid a cannabis farm in his garage. He admitted to being ‘off the trolley’ after heavy drug use.
February 2019 saw Lawler recalled to prison after CCTV captured him knocking a man unconscious in Southport. In May 2021, police discovered another cannabis farm at his home, but he avoided further jail time.
Clarke moved to Westerdale Drive in 2007 post-release for gun possession—a .357 Magnum found in his wife’s handbag at a Nottingham diner. His prior Kirkby home had been targeted by rivals. He ran a gang with brother Peter, exporting drugs to Northern Ireland. Stephen grew cannabis in Southport, while Peter sourced cocaine from the Netherlands and carried guns and body armor.
Neighbors describe Clarke’s parties drawing shady figures from Merseyside, including a MasterChef contestant. A 2013 police operation dismantled the group: Stephen received 10 years and six months for smuggling £4 million in cocaine and cannabis; Peter got 16 years for drugs and firearms. Both are believed released.
Residents’ Growing Concerns
Locals express dismay, especially with Lawler’s impending release. The gang reportedly earned £2 million smuggling drugs across the Irish Sea.
‘My main concern is what happens when Paul comes out,’ a nearby resident said. ‘He is a drug addict, and to be honest, I would like him to move now. The incident at Christmas was the final straw. There are young families in the area, and we didn’t move here for this kind of carry on.’
Another neighbor added: ‘That Lawler is a complete nutter and has been for years. We are stuck with him and his mates. They are notorious people. If you live on the other side of Westerdale, you are ok, but I feel sorry for the families near him. He is deranged.’
Banks, known for its calm—despite the 2024 Southport tragedy involving local resident Axel Rudakubana—now grapples with this unwanted notoriety.
