Anthony Burrows

Anthony Burrows was killed outside the Alicante Club.

He was attacked by a group of between 10 and 12 men outside the club at about 2am and struck in the neck with a broken bottle which severed his carotid and jugular veins.

Three men were tried for his murder but acquitted at Liverpool Crown Court on 12 March 1991.

Anthony Burrows had gone out on the evening of 19 April 1990 with a friend.

It was said that later that night, after leaving the Alicante Club at about 2am, in the early hours of 20 April, Anthony Burrows and his friend had got into a trivial row with some other people over a taxi, during which territorial rivalry between Speke and Halewood came to the fore, resulting in taunts and abuse between the two parties and one of the other men being knocked down to the ground.

The judge noted that the behaviour of Anthony Burrows's friend at that point was the main reason for the trouble over what was otherwise a trivial incident and said that he should bear considerable moral responsibility for what later happened.

Anthony Burrows and his friend and some other people then went off in the taxi. However, it was later heard that it was clear to the taxi-driver that Anthony Burrows's friend wanted to return to exact revenge, and it was said that he asked his other friend to get some bats, but the friend refused. It was said then that Anthony Burrows's friend then directed the taxi to Central Avenue in Speke where Anthony Burrows's friend got a hammer from his car. They then dropped off Anthony Burrows's friend’s sister and the taxi was then told to take them back to the club.

The taxi-driver said that he feared trouble and so dropped them off some distance away.

It was said then that word went around the Alicante Club that Anthony Burrows and his friend had returned with weapons and a group of about 10-12 men, including the three people that were charged with Anthony Burrows's murder, went out to face Anthony Burrows and his friend.

It was said then that there was a fight, and that Anthony Burrows's friend, who was described as the prime mover in them having returned to the club, ran off, either before, or immediately after Anthony Burrows was struck down.

All three men tried for murder were acquitted. One of them admitted to kicking Anthony Burrows just before he fell to the ground and was convicted of violent disorder. However, when the judge addressed the jury, he said, 'sometimes evidence does not come up to scratch' and then added, 'What happened in the car park, on the evidence I have heard I had no alternative but to give you not guilty directions'.