Kevin Pokuta: Man accused of killing 19-year-old shot at another car earlier that night, court hears

CCTV played in Sheffield Crown Court (October 10) appeared to show a VW Passat knock down a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, but who was alleged to have been with the group of defendants in the case on the night of the fatal shooting.

A man, said by the prosecution to be the defendant Jake Brown, who denies murdering Kevin Pokuta, then appears to hold up his arm and shoot at the VW at just before midnight on December 11, 2023, on Page Hall Road. 

James Lake, prosecuting, said: “Jake Brown points, and there is a puff of smoke and a flash, which the Crown says is a gunshot.”

The prosecution’s case is that some of the defendants and two other men, neither of whom can be named, sought “revenge” on those in the VW because they had defended a cannabis grow which the defendants had attempted to rob.

Kevin Pokuta, aged 19, and his brother Dominik Pokuta, 17, were sitting in their dad’s Skoda on Page Hall Road that night when the car was shot at “without warning”.

John Harrison KC, prosecuting, said: “It appears the defendants present [Leon Waite and Lester Ramsey] agree with Brown that he should shoot the occupants of the Skoda.

“They had simply identified the wrong car. The Skoda was similar in size, shape and colour, particularly at night, but tragically it was not the VW Passat.

“Without warning or reason, one of the occupants was shot to the back of the head and was killed, hit by one of the bullets shot to the back of their car.”

Witnesses told the court (October 9) how forensics evidence showed three bullets were shot from in front of the car, and then as Kevin was driving away, one was fired from the back which hit the rear left door, changed trajectory, and hit the back of his head.

This was consistent with Dominik’s account, that he jumped on top of his brother when he saw him “passed out” and drove the car for the few minutes it took to get home, the court heard.

Kevin was taken to hospital, where he stayed until life support was withdrawn on December 13.

Jake Brown, 23, of Horninglow Road, Firth Park; Lester Ramsey, 25, and Leon Waite, 26, both of no fixed address, have all pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm, two charges of possession with a firearm with intent to endanger life, attempt to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, and conspiracy to rob.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to rob.

Adam Mulligan, 33, formerly of Catcliffe, Rotherham, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of conspiracy to rob.

The trial continues.