TWO men have been sentenced to life after being found guilty of the murder of Patrick Boyle in Liverpool last year.
Mr Boyle, 26, was shot twice in the chest in broad daylight in Newway, Huyton, on July 1, 2021.
The father-of-two, originally from Lurgan, Co. Armagh, was taken to hospital but was sadly pronounced dead a short time later.
At Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, Reuben Murphy, 26, of Oak Avenue, Newton-le-Willows, was jailed for life with a minimum of 31 years.
Ben Doyle, 24, of Lyme Grove, Huyton, was also handed a life sentence and must serve a minimum of 27 years.
Mr Boyle's partner Ashleigh Dean, who was nine weeks pregnant at the time of the murder, said she and her son have been robbed 'of our future as a family'.
'Cold and calculated'
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Steve McGrath said Murphy and Doyle had forced their victim's family to endure a trial after continually denying their involvement.
"This was a cold and calculated act which resulted in the murder of a dad-of-two on a street in broad daylight," said DCI McGrath.
"Reuben Murphy and Ben Doyle continued to deny their involvement in Patrick Boyle's death, forcing his family and friends to endure a criminal trial played out in public.
Reuben Murphy and Ben Doyle were each sentenced to life (Images: Merseyside Police)"They will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars for their actions."
He added: "Not only have the actions of Murphy and Doyle on that night resulted in the untimely death of a young man, but it has had a massive impact on their victim's children, family and friends as well as their own family and friends."
'One of a kind'
In a victim impact statement, Ms Dean described her partner as a 'gentle giant with a heart of gold'.
"Paddy was like no one I have ever met before," she said.
"He was a big gentle giant with a heart of gold.
"He was the most loving, caring, funny and sentimental person.
Mr Boyle was murdered in broad daylight (Image: Merseyside Police)“He was one of a kind — always with a cheeky smile on his face and he gave the best cuddles.
"He really did make me the happiest girl in the world.
"He lived and loved his family very much. He spoke highly of them all.
"He was very family orientated and used to always speak about his mum, dad, brothers, sister and the rest of the family and what they used to do when they were growing up in Ireland and then Liverpool."
'Evil people'
Ms Dean added that when she should have been on holiday with Mr Boyle celebrating his birthday, she was instead laying him to rest in Ireland.
"Paddy was killed four days before his 27th birthday," she said.
"Instead of celebrating his birthday on July 5, I was visiting him in the morgue with his birthday cards.
"Seeing him there was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
"We were meant to be going to Cornwall the Friday after his birthday but instead I was over in Ireland for his funeral.
"I was nine weeks pregnant when Paddy was killed by these evil people.
"We were both so excited to be a little family and were excited for our first scan so we could tell our families our happy news.
"All this didn't happen because of the two defendants.
"He never got to go to our first scan or got to find out what we were having or be at the birth.
"They have robbed our son of ever meeting his amazing daddy, us both of our future as a family and memories, no photographs to show him when he's older of us together as a family.
"I didn't just lose my boyfriend on July 1, 2021, but my best friend and soul mate too.
"Paddy was my safe place and biggest adventure. He was taken far too soon."
A third defendant, Thomas Walker, 20, of no fixed abode, admitted possessing ammunition with a certificate on a date before the shooting.
He was sentenced to two years in prison.
