Sheffield dad killed in gang feud

The father-of-two, aged 23, died in June 2014 after he was shot on parkland off Queen Mary Road, in the Manor area of Sheffield.

Marvis Smith, 30, of Park Grange Road, Norfolk Park, Torrington Smith, 26, of Samuel Close, Norfolk Park, Stevin Pierre, 24, of Waterslacks Close, Woodhouse, and Brendon McFarlane, 22, of Hyde Park Terrace, Park Hill, all appeared in the dock yesterday charged with his murder.

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Sheffield Crown Court heard that the four defendants were part of a ‘drug dealing gang’, which was headed-up by Marvis Smith.

On the night of his death, Mr Bodell had been out with brothers Corrie and Christopher Allen.

The court heard that there was a long-running feud between Smith’s gang and the Allen brothers.

Adrian Waterman, prosecuting, told the court: “It was not in fact Grant Bodell who was the principle target. Corrie and Christopher Allen were almost certainly the targets. They had a gang feud.”

The jury was told that members of each gang had been drinking in Manor Top on the night of the shooting.

Things came to a head when members of Smith’s gang drove into the car park of the Embassy Club, in Mansfield Road, which was a hang-out of the Allen brothers.

The jury was shown footage of a verbal exchange between the two gangs in the car park of the pub.

Later in the footage Corrie Allen was seen to fire a shotgun in the car park.

Shortly after this incident, both gangs went their separate ways.

Mr Waterman said Mr Bodell and the Allen brothers drove to an off-licence after the altercation to buy alcohol.

He said they then drove to the parkland where Mr Bodell was eventually shot to consume the alcohol.

Mr Waterman told the court: “While they were on that park they saw a group of men approach.

“All of them were hooded and their faces could not be seen.”

He said the Allen brothers estimated there were between four and six people.

Mr Waterman said: “On seeing this group, Corrie Allen tried to get back to where he had hidden the shotgun [and] Christopher Allen followed... Grant Bodell could not move so fast as he had an injury from a previous incident.

“Corrie and Christopher Allen, from their location, heard a number of shots.”

He said that after the attackers had fled, the brothers found Mr Bodell bleeding seriously and called emergency services shortly after 2am.

Mr Bodell, of Windy House Lane, Manor, was taken to hospital but died of his injuries a short time later.

Mr Waterman said: “Marvis Smith was the head of a drug dealing gang. A gang which enforced its activity with violence, threat of violence and some of these members had firearms.”

All four men deny murder. The trial continues.