Witness tells of shock at handgun discovery in alleged Sheffield drive-by shooting trial

A witness in the trial of two men accused of the alleged drive-by shooting of a 12-year-boy has spoken of her shock when she discovered a handgun hidden in her house.
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The woman said a man she knew as "DJ" turned up and she let him use the toilet and have a wash, saying: "He said he had been drinking "bullets." It's that CS gas. They drink it and it makes them high."

The next day when she went to her wardrobe she found a gun wrapped in a maroon sock and some cartridges in a see-through bag. She said: “I was in that much shock I didn't know what to do. I just turned a blind eye to it."

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She kept his number under the name "Bad Boy" in her phone and contacted him to buy drugs "in bulk" because it is cheaper.

"He has started to sell heroin and crack cocaine," she said. "There are three of them who put money together to buy some. They all grew up together. I have known him for 20 years."

She said "DJ" wore grey designer clothing and a black man-bag "which they use to carry drugs."

Her interview was video-recorded on January 24, after she was arrested in relation to a firearms offence.

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She said that "DJ" also borrowed a trowel and she assumed "he would use it to bury drugs."

But the court also heard she suffers from "bad memory loss" as a result of mental health issues, and she later claimed “DJ” had given her the weapon to clean with bleach.

The boy was hit in the left thigh after shots were fired from a car on Northern Avenue, Arbourthorne, at around 3.20pm, on January 12.

Stephen Dunford, 25, of Fellbrigg Road, Arbourthorne, Sheffield, and Devon Gregory, 23, of Heeley Green, Heeley, Sheffield, deny attempted murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

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Dunford has also denied possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

A third defendant, Brandon Bailey, aged 26, of Manor Park Way, Manor Park, Sheffield, also denies conspiracy to endanger life and possessing criminal property, but the prosecution does not say he was in the car.

The trial continues.

Read the latest cases from Sheffield Crown Court here.

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