Manor: CCTV captures 'revenge' shooting on Sheffield estate while gunman's children were yards away

Defendants Gareth Houldon, Luke Duncan, John Smedley, James Roberts and Mark Smith have all admitted to criminal offences relating to the violent attack, which was carried out in a car port connected to Houldon’s home on Beaumont Mews, Manor, on August 8, 2022, while Houlden’s partner and children were present.

Prosecutor, Ian West, told Sheffield Crown Court that the victim – the complainant – who was aged 45 at the time, was ‘persuaded’ to go to Houlden’s home by Smedley and Smith.

“They made out the purpose of the trip was to sell cannabis,” Mr West said.

The entirety of the attack, including the shooting, was captured on CCTV in place at Houldon’s property.

Possible motive for ‘revenge’ attack

Outlining the possible motive for the ‘revenge’ attack, Mr West said the complainant told the police that approximately a year before the incident took place, Houldon instructed him to shoot the defendant Smedley.

“[He] did not want to do this because he was associated with Smedley,” Mr West said.

In addition, in the run-up to the August 2022 shooting, Duncan’s home was burgled, with money and designer clothing stolen during the raid.

Mr West referred to a Facebook post published by Duncan shortly after the burglary, in which he stated: “Whichever little tramp burgled my house, and took my money, shoes and everything else, I swear on my kids’ lives that when I find out who you are - and I will find out who you are - I will kill you on the spot.”

Circumstances of ‘pre-meditated’ shooting and violence

Describing the circumstances leading up to the ‘pre-meditated’ attack, Mr West said the video footage played to the court shows Houldon ‘remonstrating’ with the complainant, before placing his hand in the ‘waist band of his shorts’ where the ‘gun is secreted’.

“The first violence happens off camera, Roberts punches the complainant forcefully, and the complainant stumbles backwards,” Mr West said, adding: “Houlden then moves towards the complainant, and shoots him in the leg.”

The court heard how after Houldon carried out the shooting, the other defendants proceeded to inflict more violence upon him, as part of a group attack.

“Duncan strikes the complainant multiple times with a baton, he is seen to strike forceful blows to his head,” Mr West said.

He continued: “They all participated in the violence with the full knowledge that the victim had been shot.”

As the serious violence involving the discharge of a gun was unfolding in Houldon’s carport, his partner and children were a matter of yards away in the house he shared with them.

Describing the roles of each defendant, Mr West suggested Houldon and Duncan both had scores to settle against the complainant, while Smith and Smedley were ‘instrumental in persuading’ the complainant to go to Houldon’s property.

“They made out the purpose of the trip was to sell cannabis,” he said.

“It appears Roberts was recruited by Duncan to assist.”

Guilty pleas

The defendants all pleaded guilty to the charges they faced at earlier hearings, with Houldon, aged 44, of Beaumont Mews, Manor, Sheffield, admitting to offences of grievous bodily harm with intent; possessing a prohibited firearm; 30-year-old Duncan, of Chesterfield Road, Woodseats, Sheffield, also admitted a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Smedley, aged 44, of Manor Park Centre, Manor, Sheffield; Roberts, aged 40, of Rockingham Street, Sheffield city centre and 41-year-old Smith, of Blackstock Road, Hemsworth, Sheffield, all pleaded guilty to a charge of affray.

Defendants’ mitigation and sentences

In mitigation, Francis Edusei, representing Roberts, acknowledged that his client was the one to throw the first punch, but said that was the extent of his involvement, and he was not in possession of a weapon, like some of his co-accused who armed themselves with a baton and a knife.

“While the violence is ongoing he [Roberts] is present, but doesn’t do anything else, in terms of active violence,” Mr Edusei said.

Representing Smith, Ian Mullarkey, said his client has been in custody for five months following the incident; and has three children who he hopes to support upon his release.

Duncan’s barrister, Dermot Hughes, said in mitigation: “This wasn’t violence for the sake of it.”

“It was misguided, but there was a trigger for it,” Mr Hughes continued, referring to the fact Duncan’s house was burgled shortly before the incident.

Summarising the facts of the case, Judge Rachael Harrison told the defendants: “I’m satisfied this was planned group violence.”

Judge Harrison said immediate custody was ‘unavoidable’ for all five defendants and sentenced Roberts to 19 months in prison; Smith received a 21-month jail sentence and Smedley was sentenced to 25 months’ immediate custody.

Roberts, Smith and Smedley were all jailed when the case was opened on May 5.

The sentence was delayed in the case of Duncan and Smedley due to the former needing further reports to be prepared, and the latter needing other matters to be dealt with.

Duncan was jailed for 52 months during a hearing held on May 18, while Houlden received a sentence of nine years, five months during a June 9 hearing.

Houldon was also sentenced for additional offences relating to Houldon possessing the firearm used on the complainant and an ammunition charge, along with offences relating to the supply of the illegal Class A drugs, heroin and crack cocaine. Houldon pleaded guilty to all of the charges he faced at earlier hearings.

Prosecutor, James Baird, said the drugs were found during a search of Houldon’s property two days after the shooting, on August 8, 2022.

Mr Baird told the court that the drugs, along with the firearm were found in the roof recess of the carport – where the shooting was carried out – while the single bullet Houldon had in his possession was located in his wallet.

One large cling-film wrap was discovered, which contained dozens of smaller cling-film wraps, comprised of 35 wraps of crack cocaine weighing 3.19 grams, and 5.17 grams of heroin, split into 37 wraps.

Defending Houldon, Gordon Aspinall acknowledged that the ‘difficult situation’ faced by his client was one of his own making, adding that Houldon now ‘looks back’ at these offences with ‘surprise and amazement that he allowed himself to get involved with such a situation’.

Mr Aspinall also stated that while Houldon does have several previous convictions on his criminal record, this set of offences marks a ‘step up in terms of seriousness’.

Mr Aspinall told Judge Harrison he knew she would undoubtedly consider the fact that Houldon’s children were present in the family home when he carried out the shooting –along with his decision to hide Class A drugs at the property – to be aggravating factors. Mr Aspinall added, however, that Houldon now knows he will be ‘languishing behind prison bars’ for his children’s formative years.

‘It was plainly an act of revenge’

Sending Houldon to prison, Judge Harrison noted that after shooting the complainant, Houldon cocked the gun for a second time and ‘pointed it towards your victim’s head but the gun jammed’.

She also referred to a section of Houldon’s pre-sentence report, in which he said he did not think the complainant would go to the police.

“Your victim was left with a gun shot to his right thigh. Bullet particles remain lodged in his bone because they can’t be safely removed,” Judge Harrison told Houldon, adding: “It was plainly an act of revenge, and you pointed the gun at your victim’s head.”