This is fugitive Lee Knox who police want to question over the horrific murder of Joseph McKeever.

Four men connected to the gruesome death of the dad-of-one were today jailed for a total of 77 years at Liverpool Crown Court.

Mr McKeever was subjected to hours of torture leaving him with broken kneecaps, brain damage and a crushed voice box.

The 54-year-old was strangled to death before he was dumped in the boot of a stolen Ford Focus later torched on wasteland in Everton.

Murderer Jamie Grimes, who attacked the victim over £130,000 of missing cannabis, was jailed for life with a minimum of 27 years.

But the court heard his “business partner” and “international drugs importer” Lee Knox remains at large after fleeing to Spain with him last June.

Mr McKeever’s ordeal began at Grimes’ workplace at MGM Garage in Kensington and ended at Darren Colecozy’s Wavertree flat.

Knox was captured on CCTV at the Brecon Street yard and is also said to have been present when Mr McKeever died at the home.

Merseyside Police today said it was appealing for the public’s help in tracing the 40-year-old fugitive.

The force said detectives believe Knox “may have information which could assist with their ongoing enquiries”.

Knox, from Liverpool, is described as white, 5ft 6in tall, of medium build, with fair hair and blue eyes.

Detective Chief Inspector John Middleton said: “I would urge anyone who has seen Lee Knox, or knows of his whereabouts, to contact Merseyside Police as a matter of urgency.

“We believe that Knox may have vital information which could assist with an ongoing investigation.”

Lee Knox, 40, from Liverpool, wanted for questioning in relation to the murder of Joseph McKeever

Firefighters discovered Mr McKeever’s body inside the blazing car, on wasteland off St Domingo Road, at 11.10pm on June 15.

Grimes said he and Knox agreed with Mr McKeever that he would import 50kg of cannabis in a lorry from Spain for £25,000.

But he told the jury the cargo failed to arrive on June 12, which led to hours of talks at the Royal Oak pub in Walton on June 13.

Mr McKeever was seen at the pub entrance “praying” to Knox and the next morning travelled to the Midlands looking for the load.

However, the court herd the lorry, containing 145kg of cannabis, was seized by customs officers in Newhaven, East Sussex on June 11.

Mr McKeever, his associate James Doyle and Knox returned empty handed and the ex-estate agent was led to the Brecon Street garage.

Mr Justice William Davis today said Mr McKeever was attacked because Grimes and Knox believed he had taken their cannabis.

The High Court judge said the pair “lured” him to the garage, where they were joined by a third man, named in court as Anthony Wales.

The victim was last seen on CCTV walking towards Grimes’ green metal shipping container at the yard at 5.57pm on June 14.

Justice Davis said Mr McKeever could not give them any information about the load apart from the truth that it had been seized.

The judge said: “Grimes, Knox and Wales quickly moved from threats to actual violence.”

He said the victim’s “severe beating” included having both of his kneecaps fractured with a weapon and a fatal head injury.

Justice Davis said he eventually told them they could find drugs at an industrial unit in Burscough, linked to him and Doyle.

Drug dealer Karl Kelly went to the garage and led Grimes’ Citroen Nemo van containing the prisoner to Colecozy’s home.

The court heard Knox, Grimes and Wales went to look for the drugs and left Mr McKeever with the pair in Picton Crescent.

They suggested they feared cocaine-fuelled Knox and Wales, who interrogated Mr McKeever, but no further violence took place.

However, the judge said: “Knox and Wales had lost patience with Mr McKeever. They had gone to Burscough and achieved nothing.”

Joseph McKeever, 54, from Walton, who was murdered in June 2017
Joseph McKeever, 54, from Walton, who was murdered in June 2017

At 2.37pm Colecozy sent his girlfriend a WhatsApp message saying “It’s like a f***ing Power episode” – a US crime drama on Netflix.

Justice Davis said: “This is a series depicting the life of New York drug dealers. It involves violence and torture.

“The messages reflected what was happening to McKeever at the hands of Knox and Wales.”

He said Mr McKeever was stamped on by Knox and/or Wales and they were encouraged by Kelly and Colecozy.

The judge added: “That attack caused further catastrophic brain injury which was a cause of Mr McKeever’s death.”

He said the victim was further strangled when Grimes returned at 6am “whether at his hand or at the hand of Knox or Wales”.

Justice Davis said: “This episode was to ‘finish off’ McKeever. Grimes and Knox could not afford to let him survive.”

Colecozy said Knox discussed chopping up Mr McKeever and he talked them out of burning his flat down with petrol.

Police later found the victim’s blood on walls and a microwave in the kitchen and on a mattress doused in petrol.

Karl Kelly, Jamie Grimes and Darren Colecozy
Karl Kelly, Jamie Grimes and Darren Colecozy

Grimes went back to the container, cleaned up blood using oil and tried to delete the CCTV footage from the garage.

The victim’s blood was found in his fingerprint on a door and officers also discovered a chair, craft knife and strapping bearing his DNA.

The court heartd he fled to Spain with Knox after asking his friend Dylan Owen to destroy his van and Mr McKeever’s Renault Megane car.

Grimes told the trial he last saw Knox around a week later when he said he was leaving for Malaga to see some friends.

Kelly and Colecozy – both convicted of manslaughter – were jailed for 22 years each.

Owen, who was cleared of any part in the killing but destroyed two vehicles linked to the murder, was jailed for six years.

Anyone with information about Knox is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC.

You can also call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.