Steven Gerrard’s daughter Lilly is expecting a baby with the son of a notorious Irish gangster who is back on the streets of Britain
Lilly Gerrard, 20, recently announced she and her boyfriend, Lee Byrne, are expecting their first child together – meaning dad Steven, a former Liverpool FC captain, is becoming a grandfather aged 44. Another person who is sure to be delighted about the news is Lee’s mob boss father, Liam Byrne, who has recently been released from prison.
The 44-year-old was handed jail time for his part in a weapons plot gone awry. The Irish mobster has been placed on house arrest after serving three months after he was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a submachine gun haul ploy.
Liam is a Kinahan Cartel’s mob boss who has links to three of the most wanted men on the planet. He was reportedly released with an electronic tag as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s controversial Early Release Scheme to prevent overcrowding in prison.
While his release will most likely please Lee, sources told The Daily Mail his neighbours are “‘terrified violence could once more erupt on their streets”. Lee himself has never had any criminal involvement.
Lilly and Lee have been dating for two-and-a-half years after meeting when she was 18 and he was 23 years old. Their relationship was made public when they were holidaying together on the sunny party island of Ibiza.
The pair often share pictures together on their Instagram accounts, and Lee previously referred to Lilly as “the best person he’s ever met.”
And it looks like the couple has been going from strength to strength, with Lilly confirming her pregnancy in a sweet post earlier this month. The influencer shared with her 221,000 Instagram followers: “Our little secret. The best news… mini us is on the way.”
Her famous dad, Steve, who is also the father of Lexie, aged 18, Lourdes, aged 13, and an eight-year-old boy named Leo, appeared thrilled over the news. The former England footballer commented: “We can’t wait. Great news and congratulations. We love you.”
Steven reportedly treats son-in-law Liam “as he would anyone else” despite being about to share grandad duties with a notorious gangster.
A family friend told The Mirror: “You have to remember that they were both young parents when they had Lilly, so while [it is] a surprise, it’s not as big a deal for them as it might be for others.
“They are a very close family, they spend a lot of time together, and Steven treats Lee just as he would anyone else.”
The mobster is off curfew around 6pm to 8pm, and he’s already been sighted at a fancy restaurant around the village of Formby where he lives in an exclusive gated estate.
However, he’s had a target on his back for years. In November 2023, criminals set fire to the front of the property where he resides with his family.
Following his release, one source told MailOnline: “People are really frightened. It seems like an extraordinarily short amount of time to have served. Everyone is absolutely horrified by the fact that they’re living there. There’s a real fear among the local community.”
While there’s no suggestion the Gerrards have any criminal involvement, the Bryne family tree is full of gangsters. Liam’s father was the late mobster James ‘Jaws’ Byrne, his brother, David, was machine-gunned to death, his cousin ‘Fat Freddie’ Thompson was jailed for murder, and his brother-in-law Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh is a mob boss behind bars.
The family are still connected with Kinahan’s godfather, Christy ‘The Dapper Don’ Kinahan Sr and his sons Daniel and Christopher. The three are the world’s most wanted men after USA authorities put a combined bounty of $15 million on them.
A source said to the MailOnline: “[Lilly Gerrard] will never ever be free of it now. With those sort of people, they either end up in prison or with a bullet in their heads. You live with that your whole life. Why would you want to get involved in that?”
