Sicarius McGrath, a former notorious illegal firearms dealer in North West England, recounts a chilling near-miss: a planned mass shooting averted by a confluence of circumstances. He describes vivid flashbacks, the unsettling thought that he could have committed mass murder in any number of pubs and bars. His conversion to a radical form of Islam while imprisoned in the late 2000s significantly shaped his trajectory, bringing him to the precipice of an atrocity.
McGrath reveals he contacted a senior figure within an extremist movement. He claims that with their encouragement or support, he would have carried out a devastating attack. While this figure remained silent, McGrath still came perilously close to enacting his plan in Liverpool. Facing intense Islamophobic abuse from the far-right criminal underworld after his release, he reached a breaking point. He recounts concealing two handguns under his religious gown, intending to use them against anyone who harassed him. Fortunately, this confrontation never materialized.
Ironically, it was the city’s gang warfare that ultimately diverted McGrath from his violent path. He became entangled in gang conflicts and drug-related robberies, a turn of events he credits with saving his life. His involvement in gang activities, however, wasn’t driven by altruism.
In an interview for the Express’s podcast, “On The Edge,” McGrath, candidly discusses the details of his past, underscoring the podcast’s commitment to unfiltered storytelling. The podcast aims to explore the underlying reasons behind headline-grabbing crimes and societal failures, using personal narratives to illuminate complex issues. Other episodes feature a survivor of a major sex abuse scandal, a family grappling with the suspicious death of a vulnerable brother, and investigations into gangster corruption and football hooliganism.
McGrath’s path to gun violence stemmed from childhood bullying. He explains that acquiring firearms provided him with a sense of protection and confidence he lacked. This newfound confidence transformed him from a fearful boy to a hardened criminal, capable of robbing drug dealers at gunpoint. While he claims to have hated drug dealers due to witnessing childhood drug abuse, he admits his actions were primarily motivated by financial gain – a hypocrisy evident in his subsequent resale of stolen drugs.
McGrath’s criminal career led him to become an arbiter of gang disputes, his gun dealing skills making him a valuable asset in negotiating settlements and reducing violence. Ironically, he claims to have exercised some level of moral selectivity in his arms dealing, preferring to arm individuals outside of Liverpool and even sabotaging weapons intended for murder.
His perspective shifted dramatically while imprisoned, watching a documentary about the murder of Rhys Jones, an 11-year-old boy caught in gang crossfire. This deeply affected him, leading to a profound reevaluation of his actions and the potential consequences of his choices. He realized his carefully-calculated choices regarding who he armed were ultimately meaningless; the guns he sold could still harm innocents regardless of their intended recipients.
Since renouncing his criminal past, McGrath dedicates his life to preventing others from following a similar path, using his experiences with guns and extremism to deter vulnerable youth. The story highlights the complexities of Liverpool’s crime problem, using McGrath’s personal journey as a case study. The ongoing violence, exemplified by recent shootings and murders, serves as a stark reminder of the city’s ongoing struggle with gang violence and the devastating impact of readily available firearms.