Three young men and two youths deny murder after a drive-by shooting in Doncaster

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Ryan Nisbet, Jack Parkes, Joe Paul Anderton and two youths, now aged 16 and 17, were in a passing Jaguar car on Wath Road, Mexborough, at about 4.24pm, on January 11, with a shotgun when Lewis Williams was shot in the head and neck and died.

Stephen Wood QC, prosecuting, said the Crown’s case is they were looking for Lewis Williams because he was a member of a rival gang and one of the occupants of the Jaguar had a loaded firearm.

Mr Wood added: “As the Jaguar drove past a group of three males, on Wath Road, – a group which included Lewis Williams - a shot was fired from the front passenger seat of the Jaguar.

"At the moment the shot was fired, the gunman was only a matter of yards away. Mr Williams was struck by pellets from a shotgun cartridge. He sustained catastrophic injuries to his head and neck, and he died from the injuries he sustained.”

Mr Wood said: “The prosecution case is that each of the five persons in that car knew that they were searching for Lewis Williams. They each knew in that car there was a deadly weapon. They each knew the intention was to shoot with the intention of killing Mr Williams. In other words this was a planned execution.”

The court heard about a series of events which Mr Wood claimed led up to the alleged murder of Lewis Williams.

The teenage girlfriend of another youth, now aged 17, told police she was at his home in the early hours of January 11 when his cousin, who is the 17-year-old accused of murder, arrived with a shotgun saying he was going to kill Lewis Williams because he had broken his car.

She also claimed her boyfriend pinned her against a wall as his cousin put the gun to her neck and warned her not to say anything.

Mr Wood also claimed during the morning of January 11 that the 16-year-old accused of murder was driving an Audi car with passengers including the two 17-year-old cousins, and a fellow defendant who is now aged 18 – Joe Paul Anderton.

The Audi was used to trap a teenage associate of Lewis Williams on the street and he was asked if he was a member of the Pitsmoor Shotta Boys gang linked to Lewis Williams, according to Mr Wood, before he was allegedly assaulted, punched and kicked by two of the males in the car.

Mr Wood said the Audi driver was later seen driving a Jaguar at a McDonald’s drive-thru, at Balby, and this Jaguar was later spotted at a BP service station where the five defendants accused of murder got into the vehicle.

Mr Wood said the Jaguar drove to Clayfied View where two males got out and threw bricks at a property in a separate incident before the shooting.

The teenager who had been assaulted told how he was with Lewis Williams when he saw the Jaguar drive past and as a window came down he heard a bang and he saw Lewis on the ground.

Mr Wood said: “There were wounds to his neck and chest. By-standers attempted CPR, which was taken over by a paramedic who was quickly on the scene.

"Lewis Williams was pronounced deceased at the scene at 5pm. He was just 20 years of age.”

Mr Wood said the Jaguar was later set on fire near Ingsfield Lane.

The 17-year-old, of Mexborough, who stands accused of murder, pleaded guilty to causing damage and to assaulting a teenager in the street.

He accepts he was in the Jaguar and in possesion of a firearm and that he discharged it but he denies murder because he believed the weapon was a “slam-gun” which could only discharge empty cartridges and make a bang. He denies possessing a firearm with intent to endager life, and denies possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Ryan Nisbet, aged 20, of Springwood Road, Hoyland, Barnsley, denies being involved in any plan to cause damage or to shoot Lewis Williams or that there was a weapon in the car. He denies murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Jack Parkes, aged 21, of Arnold Crescent, Mexborough, claims he was unaware of any plan to shoot Lewis Williams and that he did not know there was a firearm in the car. He denies murder and possessing a firearm with intent to to endanger life but admits causing damage.

The 16-year-old, from London, accepts driving the Audi but claims he took no part in the street assault. He accepts driving the Jaguar but denies causing damage. He also denies being aware of any plan to shoot Lewis Williams and he was not aware of anyone having a firearm. He pleaded not guilty to murder and to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Joe Paul Anderton, aged 18, of Jubilee Road, Wheatley, Doncaster, denies causing damage and denies murder because he claims he was not party to any such plan and he did not know there was a firearm in the car. He also pleaded not guilty to possessing the firearm with intent to endanger life. But he pleaded guilty to the assault on the teenager in the street.

The other 17-year-old youth, also of Mexborough, denies his 17-year-old cousin was at his home when his girlfriend visited and denies there was any firearm. He pleaded not guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear in relation to his girlfriend. However, he pleaded guilty to assaulting the teenager in the street.

The trial continues.