On the evening of April 19th, 1990, twenty-one-year-old Anthony Burrows went out with a friend to the Alicante Club, a popular venue in Speke, Liverpool, England. According to accounts from the time, after leaving the club around two a.m., Burrows and his friend became embroiled in a heated argument with another group of individuals over a taxi. The dispute quickly escalated, with tensions fueled by longstanding territorial rivalries between the neighborhoods of Speke and Halewood. During the altercation, insults were exchanged, and one man from the opposing group was reportedly knocked to the ground.
The situation could have ended there, but it took a darker turn. Court records and witness statements later revealed that Burrows’ friend, described as the “prime mover” in the subsequent events, was intent on seeking revenge. After leaving the scene in a taxi with Burrows and others, including the friend’s sister, the group made a detour to Central Avenue in Speke. There, Burrows’ friend retrieved a hammer from his car, signaling his intent to return to the Alicante Club and confront the other group. The taxi driver, sensing trouble, dropped the group off some distance from the club to avoid being implicated in any violence.
Word spread quickly inside the Alicante Club that Burrows and his friend had returned, possibly armed with weapons. In response, a group of approximately ten to twelve men, including three individuals who would later be charged in connection with the murder, exited the club to confront them. A violent clash ensued, during which Burrows was fatally struck. His friend, who had instigated the return to the club, reportedly fled the scene either just before or immediately after Burrows was attacked. One of the men involved admitted to kicking Burrows just before he fell, an act that led to a conviction for violent disorder but not for murder.
Following the incident, Merseyside Police launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of three men who were charged with Burrows’ murder. The case went to trial at Liverpool Crown Court, concluding on March 12th, 1991. Despite the evidence presented, including witness testimonies and the admission of one defendant to kicking Burrows, all three men were acquitted of murder. The judge presiding over the case noted that the behavior of Burrows’ friend was the primary catalyst for the escalation of the conflict, assigning significant moral responsibility to him for the tragic outcome. However, the lack of conclusive evidence tying the three defendants directly to the fatal blow meant that no one was held legally accountable for Burrows’ death.
The acquittal left the case unresolved, with no further convictions for the murder itself. The man convicted of violent disorder faced a lesser charge, but the question of who delivered the fatal blow to Anthony Burrows remains unanswered. The case was later documented as one of Merseyside’s unsolved murders, with appeals for information appearing in local media, such as the Liverpool Echo, as recently as 2021.
Crime Immemorial 