Three shooting plot conspirators have been jailed for a total of 20 years after a gun was fired at a man's window while he was standing behind it.
The shocking attack happened in the West End of Newcastle when a clash between rival factions ended with Kesa Malik blasting the firearm towards an innocent relative of a rival. Newcastle Crown Court heard Kesa Malik, Mushfiqur Rahman and Abdourahmane Sow were among the gang responsible for the shooting in Benwell, last June.
Now the trio, who admitted conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, as well as a series of separate drugs offences, have been locked up.
The court heard events surrounding the shooting began on June 3 last year around 4pm outside the Grainger Convenience Store, on Fairholm Road, in Benwell. There was a confrontation between two groups of men which ended with a silver Audi A3 being driven at a young man. He and others moved out of the way and one of them threw something at the car.
Later that evening the young man who was driven at got a call from Malik, "who was not happy" about what happened earlier and threatened him and members of his family, including his uncle, Didar Mohammed, who lives on Colston Street, Benwell.
At 9.40pm Mr Mohammed was at home with his girlfriend when he took a call from his nephew telling him about the fall out with Malik. Deborah Smithies, prosecuting, said: "He heard a bang outside and he thought nothing of it at that stage.
"Ten minutes later he got a call from Kesa Malik himself, who he knew. He said 'can you hear the bangs, that's me with a shotgun'.
"Mr Mohammed tried to calm him down and reason with him. He was invited to go outside. Mr Mohammed said he didn't believe he had a gun and he should calm down.
"He assured him he did. Mr Mohammed said if he had a gun to shoot it in the sky, whereupon he heard a bang from outside his house. He looked out and saw Malik there with other men wearing balaclavas, standing around a silver Audi A3."
CCTV shows six men in the Audi A3. They invited Mr Mohammed to go outside and he refused. Miss Smithies said: "Kesa Malik asked another man to hand him a gun, which he aimed up at where he was standing in the window and he fired it. The pellets struck the window but didn't penetrate the double glazing."
A spent cartridge and wadding was later recovered from the scene and the evidence suggested two shots were discharged. A sawn-off shotgun may have been used but this could not be conclusively established and the weapon was never recovered.
Later that night, around 11.45pm, Mr Mohammed's nephew went to the area of the Bilal mosque when a group of men appeared wearing balaclavas and dark clothes and some of them had weapons. The young man ran away, abandoning his car with the engine running. Miss Smithies said: "The prosecution can't say for certain who those men were who approached him with weapons at the mosque."
Malik, Sow and Rahman admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Sow pleaded guilty on the basis he obtained and disposed of the car used and put false plates on it, but not for the purpose of the shooting. Rahman's basis of plea stated that he was not present at the scene of the shooting and remained at a mosque, although his DNA was found on a shotgun cartridge found at the scene.
Rahman, Sow and Tamim Ahmed also admitted a series of drugs offences in Newcastle. Rahman admitted possessing cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possessing criminal property. Sow admitted possessing cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis with intent to supply and supplying cannabis. Ahmed admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply and a separate offence of possessing cocaine with intent to supply in Fenham.
Sow was also convicted of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply in Isleworth, London, while Malik admitted being concerned in the supply of a class A drug as part of a wider network in Bradford.
Malik, 27, of Wingrove Gardens, Newcastle, who has 16 previous convictions, was jailed for a total of six years. Sow, 20, of Ardgowan Road, London, who has one previous conviction, was jailed for five years. Rahman, 28, of Lanercost Road, Fenham, who has one previous conviction, was locked up for nine years.
Ahmed, 27, of Middleton Avenue, Fenham, who has ten previous convictions, was sentenced to two years suspended for two years with 200 hours unpaid work and rehabilitation.
The court heard Malik is remorseful, "blames nobody but himself", has "learned a significant lesson" and has worked hard during his 16 months in prison on remand.
Christopher Knox, for Sow, said: "He expresses a desire to do well and go to university. He has written a letter of apology."
Glenn Gatland, for Rahman, said he is remorseful and was the breadwinner for his family before he was locked up. He added: "This was a bleak and silly period of his life and he has no intention of repeating this."
Brian Mark, for Ahmed, said he was "at a low point in his life" at the time but now doesn't take drugs or alcohol. He added that he has brought shame on himself and his family and had psychiatric problems.
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