Raiders told Curran 'we'll take the kids'

Raiders who broke into Steven Gerrard's home threatened his wife with a knife and said they would kidnap the couple's children, a court has been told.

Alex Curran was at home in Formby, Merseyside, with Lilly-Ella, six, and Lexie, four, when the break-in took place in December 2007. Gerrard was leading his Liverpool side to a 4-0 Champions League win in Marseilles at the time.

Curran, 27, confronted the men, after they broke in and demanded to know the location of the couple's safe and jewellery. The Mirror reports they then threatened to "get the blade out the car" when she replied jewellery was not kept in the house and told them to "leave now".

“If you don’t tell us where the safe is, we'll take the kids," one of the raiders threatened. Curran was forced to give the location of the valuables after being "dragged" around the property. The gang then fled through a patio window, the court heard.

Martin Wilson, 22, of Stockbridge Village, Merseyside, changed his plea to guilty at Liverpool Crown Court and will be sentenced on May 27. His accomplice is still at large.