'Infamous' man pulled machete on teen... but was soon screaming he was dying

A man described as 'infamous and formidable' character in a small town pulled out a machete on a teenager, who then shot him in the groin. The incident happened on Birch Green Road, Skelmersdale, West Lancashire, just after 6pm on November 9, 2022.

The man, Stephen Birch, 32, had pulled out a knife before realising Warren Williams, who he had threatened, had a gun. He ran but was shot as he fled, and was left seriously hurt with blood was gushing from his wound, a court heard. As he faded in and out of consciousness, Birch told the emergency services he thought he was dying.

A member of the public used a denim jacket to try to stop the blood flowing from Birch's body. But within half a minute, the jacket was soaked through.

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When the first responders arrived in the busy residential area, close to a road and several back gardens., they gave Birch oxygen, a unit of blood, a clotting agent and a field dressing, reports Lancs Live.

They then rushed him to Aintree Hospital. Birch had surgery for more than three hours to treat a gunshot wound. The bullet had gone through his groin and hip, hitting his penis.

Police officers stayed at the hospital but when Birch woke up, he refused to co-operate. However the shooter, 19-year-old Williams, has since been jailed for over eight years. Birch was also jailed for having a bladed article in public related to the incident.

On the evening of the attack, Williams and his friend Cole Kelly, 21, were seen riding a bike around their neighbourhood, between the Golden Fry chip shop and the Lifestyle newsagents. Birch and another man were spotted in the same area on electric bikes.

Birch was known as "a formidable