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Videos have emerged online of a ‘jail tales’ prison interview involving a Sheffield gangster who was locked up for 14 years over a street shooting.

Matthew Herring, 27, formerly of Abney Road, Heeley, was put away in 2020 after he was captured on CCTV in May that year running out of an alleyway in Heeley “with his arm extended” as shots were fired at a man in a vehicle.

Pictured is Matthew Herring, 27, formerly of Abney Road, Sheffield, who was sentenced to 14 years of custody in 2020 after he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and to participating in an organised crime group. He also admitted possessing a Browning rifle without a certificate, possessing firearm ammunition without a certificate and possessing a prohibited sawn-off shotgun.

The then-23-year-old was part of a criminal gang led by convicted gunman Stephen Dunford, who was jailed for life in 2020 for the attempted murder of a 12-year-old boy in a drive-by shooting.

At his sentencing, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC named Herring as a “loyal lieutenant” within the Dunford gang, adding: “You fulfilled the role of quartermaster taking care of guns and arranging hiding places for them when necessary.”

Now, more than 100,000 people have seemingly heard Herring tell his story himself - after videos emerged online this month on social media platform TikTok featuring the shooter being interviewed by another prisoner and referring to him in captions as “loyal lieutenant Matthew Herring.”

Matthew Herring, appearing from HMP Manchester ('Strangeways') in one of the clips posted to TikTok of him being interviewed by another inmate. It is understood the clips were filmed in 2022 but have remerged in August 2024. | UGC

When asked about this moniker by the interviewer, Herring sharply remarks: “Don’t ever call me that,” and laughs.

The ‘jail tales’ video, presented across five minute-long clips, shows Herring answer questions about his offending and his life in HMP Manchester, referred to as ‘Strangeways’, before rapping about his story for the camera.

It is understood the videos were first recorded and published in 2022, but were reposted in August 2024, and have since accrued over 100,000 views between them.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said it was aware of the videos, has requested for them to be taken down and that “mobile phones are not tolerated and those found with them face extra time in prison.”

Matthew Herring closes the interview out by rapping for two minutes for the camera. | UGC

In the video, an unseen interviewer asks Herring about the shooting that put him in prison, asking: “Bro, what actually happened?”

Herring, from Heeley, replies: “Obviously man was warring with this man, they come down, thought they was bad and they got run out the ends bro.

“Some yute [youth] come in the ends and got slapped, simple as.

“Obviously when you beefing right anyone can get it [get shot], you know what I’m saying.”

“Did it get messy?” said the other prison, asking about gang life.

“It got sticky - [you got] bootings everyday sometimes, sometimes two, three times... but you’ll never catch me scared, bro.”

The interviewer asks: “Were you ready to take a life?”

Quieter now, Herring replies: “I’m not answering that question still.”

When asked where his offending began, Herring tells how he was once on a team for Sheffield United but lost the opportunity when he “got kicked off the squad [because I] nutted someone.”

The other prisoner asks Herring if the then-recent birth of his daughter had “changed his life.”

“It should have,” he laments. “But it hasn’t. I should never have been doing what I was doing. I can’t turn back time bro.”

Herring is scheduled for parole in 2028.

Matthew Herring: Sheffield gangland shooter serving 14 years interviewed from prison in videos on TikTok