Joseph McKeever murder: Man jailed for burnt-out car killing

Joseph McKeever was found dead in a burnt-out car in Liverpool in June 2017

A sixth man involved in the torture and murder of a man who was found in a burnt-out car has been jailed.

Joseph McKeever was found dead in Liverpool in June 2017, having suffered "a sustained and brutal attack".

Lee Knox, 43, was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court for life with a minimum of 30 years for the false imprisonment and murder of Mr McKeever.

The sentencing of Knox was the conclusion to a "dreadful" case, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

In 2019, Anthony Wales, 37, was handed a life sentence at Liverpool Crown Court.

Four other men were also jailed in 2018 for their part in Mr McKeever's murder.

Lee Knox was jailed for life with a minimum of 31 years

The court heard Knox was part of a organised crime gang, who wrongly suspected Mr McKeever of cheating his associates out of a shipment of drugs from Spain which had been seized by the authorities.

Mr McKeever was a "popular family man" who had "fallen foul" of the gang, CPS senior crown prosecutor Rachael Barber said.

He was last seen walking towards a container on 14 June 2017.

Mr McKeever was then subjected to a four-hour assault in the container, before being driven to a flat where further beatings took place.

Mr McKeever was last seen walking towards this container, where he was subjected to a four-hour assault

On 15 June, Mr McKeever's body was taken out of the flat and into the car where his remains were found in Whitehaven Road, Everton.

Knox, of Canal View in Liverpool, was arrested in Belfast in April last year after he went on the run from the police.

He admitted he had been present throughout the torture and killing of Mr McKeever but denied he took part in any of it.

Det Sup Richie Salter said it had been a "long and complex investigation".

"This was a particularly horrific case. Mr McKeever suffered a sustained and brutal assault at the hands of these men who have shown no remorse for their actions," he said.