Gscene News Archive

Steve Radford, Liverpool’s first openly gay councillor, Leader of the Liberal Party Group and co-chair of the Gay Business Association, has questioned whether the not-guilty verdict delivered in the killing of eighteen year old hairdresser, Michael Causer, who was murdered in his bed and his bleeding body dumped on the street, is an indication that Merseyside now accepts gay attacks.

Speaking at a special meeting of Liverpool’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Network, Cllr Radford questioned if the jury was a true representation of Merseyside’s demographic.

Speaking in front of Michael’s mother and father, friends and family, he said:
“The question has to be asked whether the 10-2 jury not-guilty verdict on Gavin Alker means Merseyside society thinks it’s acceptable to beat up gay people?

“Because, if the evidence was so clear and the people involved acknowledged their part in the attack, we need to ask if the real problem is in Merseyside society.”

He added:
“This acquittal signals that being gay means you don’t have the right to be free on the street, that’s the sad fact.”

Gavin Alker, 19, of Fleetwood Road, Runcorn, was acquitted of the 18-year-old Whiston hairdresser’s murder last Friday (20). He denied making homophobic comments and insisted he had only hit Michael in self-defense. Michael Causer weighed seven and a half stone.

Second defendant, James O’Connor, 19, who admitted the murder without homophobic intent, is yet to be sentenced alongside Michael Binsteed, who admitted perverting the course of justice.

Paul Amann, of Liverpool’s gay football team the Mersey Marauders said:
“This is a horrendous situation and from the start this case was very much talked about in terms of a hate crime.

“We have been let down by the criminal justice system and, if the jurors aren’t representative, then this needs to be considered by the Criminal Justice Board.”

Listening to the concerns expressed at the meeting was Det Insp Richie Carr, who said the police were “disappointed” by the verdict and were working on lines of appeal.

During the meeting concerns were expressed about the under-reporting of hate crime generally and if the verdict would send out a signal that homophobic crime weren’t punished.

Sgt Rob Venables, of Merseyside Police’s diversity team, said,
“hate crime perpetrators would be punished with 49% of crime being detected and action taken.”

Michael’s family and the LGBT Network also want an inquiry into the case, in the hope of shaping the criminal justice system for any similar future cases.