'He kept shouting 'am I going to die?' - Harrowing 999 call made by dad of Sheffield boy injured in drive-by shooting

Gunman Stephen Dunford, aged 25, of Fellbrigg Road, Sheffield, was found guilty on September 21 of attempted murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

A Sheffield Crown Court trial heard how he shot the boy in the left thigh on Northern Avenue, Arbourthorne, about 3.30pm, on January 12, from a passing Ford Focus.

Dunford was sentenced today, Wednesday, October 7, to life imprisonment and he must serve 19 years before he can be released and he will be on licence until his death.

In a statement, read out by prosecuting barrister Stephen Wood QC, the father of the youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons said: "The seven months waiting for the trial to begin have been like living through hell.

"I know he will have to live with what happened to him for the rest of his life.

"The bullet can't be removed and he still has problems running.

"He has become paranoid."

Following the shooting, the youngster fled home with friends and the Ford Focus drove back along Northern Avenue with blacked-out wndows and was also captured on CCTV doing a terrifying sweep through the boy's neighbourhood.

A recording of the father's 999 phone call to the police was played in court.

He said: "He's screaming and there is blood everywhere. He's been with friends.

"And they have shot him in the leg. There is blood everywhere. I think it's a proper gun. His friends are 10 and 12. He's 12."

He later said: "I was scared to death. I could not believe it when he said he had been shot.. He kept shouting 'am I going to die?'.

"He was panicking and in shock. I didn't know if he was going to die. I can not tell you enough how traumatic it was.

"I am still confused as to why it was him who was shot.

"We have been living through hell.This will never go away for him. This has traumatised him. He will have to live with this for the rest of his life."

The boy’s father stated he had heard Dunford on social media doing a gangster-style rap on a phone about the shooting on Facebook while the defendant was remanded in custody.

He added his son has been badly affected. He said: "He wakes up during the night and has become paranoid.

"I too fear for the safety of my family. I won't let him play out with his friends and we are looking to move house."

Dunford was also found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life after a separate shooting incident on Northcote Avenue, Sheffield, on January 10, according to Mr Wood, after a bullet was found in a vehicle tyre.

Dunford, who has been dubbed a gangster by police, has also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving from November involving a stolen white Ford Focus, according to Mr Wood.

Mr Wood said police also found a gun with DNA traces of another defendant, Brandon Bailey, aged 26, of Manor Park Way, Sheffield, but it is not claimed he was in the car during the shooting.

However, he was found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Police also recovered £19,970 from Bailey’s home, according to Mr Wood, and he has pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property.

Bailey was sentenced to ten years and six months of custody.

A prison guard claimed Dunford had asked to remain in a single cell while he was on remand because he feared there was “a price on his head”.

He said Dunford told him the leader of an Arbourthorne gang had put a price of £75,000 on his head as a reward and he had been slashed in Doncaster HMP but because he had not been disfigured his attackers were only paid £10,000.

The officer added Dunford said he had been transferred to Hull HMP and police believed Dunford was linked to a Heeley gang which was at war with the Arbourthorne gang.

Police have raised concerns about the impact of a string of firearm offences in Arbourthorne and Heeley.

The offences have left the community in fear of being caught in the crossfire, according to police, and one resident said she kept her children away from the windows in case of stray bullets.

People have said they wanted to move and are frightened by vehicles backfiring, accrding to a police officer.

At a public meeting in January, almost 100 residents attended and spoke of their fear of reprisals if they contacted police.

Enhanced patrol strategies have been introduced to reassure residents, Mr Wood said.

A South Yorkshire police spokesman said residents have the right to feel safe in their own homes but the community's well-being and cohesion has been impacted.

MP Louise Haigh said there has been a significant amount of unease because of the seemingly random nature of the shooting and the fact it was in broad daylight.

Ms Haigh said residents did not want to let their children play outside and there had been a surge in applications to the council for rehousing.

She added: "People are still struggling to come to terms with what has happened", and added, "The attack has literally driven people out of their homes."

She said sustained support and intervention were required to deal with the aftermath of the shooting.

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