Sheffield man accused of attempting to murder boy allegedly performed rap on Facebook about the shooting

Sheffield Crown Court heard on August 13 during a trial how Stephen Dunford, aged 25, of Fellbrigg Road, Sheffield, and Devon Gregory, aged 23, of Heeley Green, Sheffield, had allegedly been armed with guns in a Ford Focus which passed the 12-year-old boy as he was shot in the left thigh.

Stephen Wood QC, prosecuting, said the boy had been meeting friends on Northern Avenue, Arbourthorne, about 3.30pm, on January 12.

Mr Wood added: “He describes seeing a front-seat passenger cocking a handgun and leaning over the driver before firing and even though he was wearing a hood he could recognise Dunford because he could see his eyes and eyebrows and he heard the gunman shout, ‘we’ve got one’, and he recognised his voice.”

The complainant claimed he also saw another hooded offender in the back with a shotgun, according to Mr Wood.

Mr Wood said one of the complainant’s friends found a bullet hole in his jacket and fibres on a bullet nearby matched that clothing.

Mr Wood added: “The prosecution say Devon Gregory was the backseat gunman. The intention of those in that car was to kill using those two guns.

"It may be their target was someone other than the complainant.”

But he added: “By firing multiple shots the prosecution also suggests these gunmen intended to injure others and firing at a group creates that obvious risk.”

Dunford claimed he was at his grandparents’ home on Myrtle Road but Mr Wood said phone investigations indicated he was not at Myrtle Road.

The court heard a Ford Focus was found burned out on Clough Road.

Mr Wood added Dunford has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving from November involving a stolen white Ford Focus.

Dunford is also allegedly linked to a shooting incident on Northcote Avenue, Sheffield, on January 10, according to Mr Wood, where a bullet was found in a vehicle tyre and an Audi was seen after Dunford had hired an Audi.

Police also searched the flat of a drug-addict who said Gregory had placed a gun in a bag which had been left at her home.

Mr Wood said this gun had DNA traces of a third defendant Brandon Bailey, aged 26, of Manor Park Way, Sheffield, but it is not claimed he was in the car during the alleged shooting.

However, police recovered £19,970 from Bailey’s home, according to Mr Wood, and it is claimed this is from crime.

Dunford and Gregory have pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and not guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Dunford pleaded not guilty to a further charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life after the Northcote Avenue incident.

Dunford, Gregory and Bailey deny conspiracy to endanger life and Bailey denies possessing criminal property.

Mr Wood added the complainant’s father said he heard Dunford on social media using a phone call in custody to do a rap about the shooting on Facebook.

The trial continues.