Arbourthorne shooting Sheffield: Countdown to verdict over attempted murder trial as jury sent out to deliberate

The jury has been sent out to deliberate on whether three people conspired to murder a Sheffield man by shooting at two houses.
Alastair Ulke
By Alastair Ulke
Published 13th Dec 2021, 16:02 BST
Updated 13th Dec 2021, 16:03 BST
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Joshua Mottershead, Niki Haycock and Demi Dunford are accused of conspiring to kill Ryan Ducker through two drive-by shootings in the Arbourthorne area on June 30, 2020.

Today (December 13), at Sheffield Crown Court, a jury was sent out to deliberate on whether the trio are guilty or not guilty of conspiracy to murder.

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In the course of the three week trial, the jury heard how the three defendants allegedly targeted two properties Mr Ducker was known to frequent and shot at them.

Police discovered bullet holes in a window of a home at Errington Avenue, Sheffield, near Arbourthorne, after reports of a drive-by shooting.Police discovered bullet holes in a window of a home at Errington Avenue, Sheffield, near Arbourthorne, after reports of a drive-by shooting.
Police discovered bullet holes in a window of a home at Errington Avenue, Sheffield, near Arbourthorne, after reports of a drive-by shooting.

BACKGROUND: Three people deny murder conspiracy as baby left 'showered with glass'

In one of the attacks at a home on Errington Avenue, an occupant was woken at 9.30pm by gunshots blasting through his living room window as his wife and son were upstairs.

In the other shooting at 9.53pm on Aylward Road, a mother had been with her daughter and her sister and her three-year-old daughter and ten-month old baby when shots were fired through the living room window.

The 10-month-old was reportedly showered with broken glass during the attack.

Pictured are police at Errington Avenue, Sheffield, near Arbourthorne, where three people allegedly conspired to shoot and kill Ryan Ducker.Pictured are police at Errington Avenue, Sheffield, near Arbourthorne, where three people allegedly conspired to shoot and kill Ryan Ducker.
Pictured are police at Errington Avenue, Sheffield, near Arbourthorne, where three people allegedly conspired to shoot and kill Ryan Ducker.
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Ms Dunford, aged 25, of Derby Street, Sheffield; Mr Mottershead, aged 22, of St Aiden’s Avenue, Sheffield; and Mr Haycock, aged 23, of Ironside Close, Sheffield, have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit murder and not guilty to conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Ms Dunford and Mr Haycock have also pleaded not guilty to conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence, but Mr Mottershead has admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence.

Mr Mottershead accepts he was the car passenger who discharged a gun but claims his motivation was only to cause fear, according to Mr Wood.

Mr Wood claimed Ms Dunford had been communicating by phone with Mottershead after the shootings and she met a man called Jason Brough before the Vauxhall Astra allegedly used in the shootings was set alight.

Jason Brough, aged 51, of Kent Road, Sheffield, has pleaded guilty to arson, and Ms Dunford has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice in relation to her involvement with the torched car.