Renewed appeal into 2010 traffic lights gun murder

Paul Pike, 23, was shot as his van pulled up to a set of traffic lights

One summer's evening 15 years ago, and with his girlfriend sitting by his side, Paul Pike was driving along a busy main road in his red van.

The 23-year-old, from the Belle Vale area of Liverpool, had no idea he was being followed by an underworld assassin in a stolen silver Audi TT.

The killer, or killers, took their chance when Mr Pike's van stopped at traffic lights at the junction of Crosby Road North and South Road in Waterloo.

At 23:20 BST on 5 June 2010, the Audi pulled up alongside the van before shots were fired.

And as the fatally wounded Mr Pike slumped next to his girlfriend, the Audi driver did a U-turn and more shots were fired.

Physically, Mr Pike's terrified partner survived with minor injuries caused by flying glass.

Police are still seeking the owners of the cars in this photograph

Detectives discovered the Audi had been stolen from the Hawarden area of North Wales on 21 May 2010.

Its burnt-out remains were found shortly after the shooting in Fairfield, a street off Endbutt Lane in Crosby.

In the days after the murder, Merseyside Police released a CCTV image of the road which showed a silver Ford C-Max, a black taxi and a third car at the traffic lights.

The force urged their drivers to get in touch.

Since then, 13 people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting, but no-one has faced criminal charges despite police offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of Mr Pike's killer or killers.

The force has previously said Mr Pike was known to police and that detectives believe the attack on him was targeted.

'Unimaginable pain'

Howard Rubbery, head of Merseyside Police's Serious Case Review Unit which investigates cold cases, has made a renewed appeal for information.

"Paul's murder caused his family and friends unimaginable pain, and we know someone out there has information that could help bring his killer to justice," he told BBC News.

Mr Rubbery said any potential witnesses who may not have "felt comfortable" coming forward back then may "feel differently" now.

He said: "Time is never a barrier to achieving justice when families have been left grieving and any information on who was involved and who was in that Audi TT that night will be taken extremely seriously.

"Paul's family and friends are still dealing with his loss. I can reassure them that Merseyside Police will not give up until those responsible are put before the courts."