Two Sheffield women accused of recruiting two men to carry out killing
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A Sheffield Crown Court trial has heard how Demi Dunford, Molly Mayer, Niki Haycock, and Joshua Mottershead have denied conspiring to murder Ryan Ducker following reports of two drive-by shootings near Arbourthorne, in Sheffield.
Stephen Wood QC claimed Mr Haycock and Mr Mottershead had been involved in drive-by shootings at homes on Errington Avenue at 9.30pm, on June 30, and about 20 minutes later on Aylward Road after they had allegedly targeted the wrong addresses.
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Hide AdHe also claimed Molly Mayer had given a false alibi for Mr Haycock, and that Miss Dunford had been involved in torching the Vauxhall Astra allegedly used in the shootings.
Mr Wood told the court today, January 11: “The prosecution suggests - in this case - this was a plan conceived by Molly Mayer and Demi Dunford and they recruited the male defendants to carry it out.”
Dean Goodderham had been with his wife and son at Errington Avenue, according to Mr Wood, and Sarah Gilchrist of Aylward Road had been with her daughter and her sister and her sister’s two children when they came under fire but no one was seriously injured.
Mr Wood added CCTV captured a Vauxhall Astra driving between both addresses and recorded four shots and then six shots.
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Hide AdMolly Mayer told police Mr Haycock had been with her at her home with Demi Dunford, according to Mr Wood, before they all took a taxi and dropped off Miss Dunford at Daresbury Road and then went to Miss Mayer’s grandmother’s home on Slate Street about 9.40pm.
However, Mr Wood said Molly Mayer called police on July 7 to say she had lied and Mr Wood believes she phoned because it had become apparent there were differences between her account and the account given by Mr Hancock.
Police also discovered a gap in Molly Mayer’s mobile phone call-data between June 28 and 30 and he suggested this data had been deleted because billing information revealed there had been contact between Molly Mayer and Mr Hancock during this time which suggested they had not been together.
Mr Wood also claimed Miss Dunford had been travelling by taxi after the shootings and had filled a petrol can and had been communicating with Mr Mottershead before she allegedly met another male, Jason Brough, and the Astra was set alight.
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Hide AdMr Wood said Mottershead had told police he had been at home at the time of the incidents but he now accepts he was a passenger in the car and he had discharged a gun but claims he only intended to cause fear.
Mr Mottershead, aged 21, of St Aidan’s Avenue, Sheffield, Mr Haycock, aged 22, of Ironside Close, Sheffield, Miss Dunford, aged 24, of Derby Street, Sheffield, and Miss Mayer, aged 21, of Callow Drive, Sheffield, have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit murder and not guilty to conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endager life.
Dunford has also pleaded not guilty to arson but Jason Brough, aged 50, of Cambridge Lodge, Kent Road, Heeley, Sheffield, has pleaded guilty to arson.
The trial contnues.
