Two murderers have been given life custodial sentences after Doncaster drive-by shooting

A Sheffield Crown Court trial has heard how driver Jack Parkes, gunman Taylor Meanley, and passengers Joe Anderton and Arlind Nika were in a stolen Jaguar car on Wath Road, Mexborough, on January 11, with a shotgun when Lewis Williams was shot in the head and neck and died.

Stephen Wood QC, prosecuting, said they were looking for 20 year-old Lewis Williams, of Rotherham, because he was a member of a rival gang and Meanley had a firearm known as a “slam-gun”.

Mr Wood told a sentencing hearing on October 29: “The genesis of the offences committed by all of these defendants is - the prosecution submit - out of gang-related rivalry in the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of South Yorkshire.”

He said the mothers of Meanley and Parkes had been subjected to attacks which drove these defendants to seek revenge on the gang they held responsible.

A jury previously found Meanley, who fired the shotgun, and driver Parkes both guilty of murder and they also found Nika and Anderton guilty of manslaughter.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said: “Taylor Meanley pointed the ‘slam-gun’ and fired at very close quarters at Lewis Williams who tried to take evasive action seeing what was about to happen. Within the car, it was Parkes who shouted ‘shoot him’.”

He added: “Each individual has involved himself in gang-related crime and the killing of a youth in a drive-by shooting.”

Meanley, aged 17, of Beech Crescent, Mexborough, Jack Parkes, aged 21, of Arnold Crescent, Mexborough, and Nika, aged 16, of Spelman Street, London, and Joe Anderton, aged 18, of Jubilee Road, Wheatley, Doncaster, were also found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The jury had found fellow-passenger Ryan Nisbet, aged 20, of Springwood Road, Hoyland, Barnsley, not guilty of murder and not guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endager life.

Mr Wood said the Jaguar had driven past three males including Lewis Williams when a shot was fired from the front passenger seat.

He added: “It was obvious Lewis had been very seriously injured. There were wounds to his neck and chest.

"Bystanders, with what the court may agree was tremendous public spirit, attempted CPR which was taken over by a paramedic quickly on the scene. But sadly this was to no avail because Lewis Williams was pronounced dead at the scene.”

A pathologist report confirmed death was caused by a shotgun wound to the neck and chest and Mr Williams was struck with over 120 pellets over a large area of his body.

Meanley accepted discharging the firearm but he had denied murder because he believed the weapon was a “slam-gun” which could only discharge empty cartridges and make a bang.

Mr Wood said earlier on January 11 Nika had been driving a stolen Audi with passengers including Meanley, Anderton and another 17-year-old male, who cannot be legally named.

The Audi trapped a teenage associate of Lewis Williams on the street and he was asked if he was a Pitsmoor Shotta Boys gang member linked to Lewis Williams, according to Mr Wood, before he was assaulted.

Mr Wood said later Nika drove the Jaguar to Clayfield View, Mexborough, where Meanley and Parkes threw bricks at a property which Meanley believed was linked to damage that had been caused to his car.

The teenager who was assaulted said he was later with Lewis Williams when he saw the drive-by shooting.

Meanley pleaded guilty to assaulting the teenager and to damaging property.

Ryan Nisbet, aged 20, of Springwood Road, Hoyland, Barnsley, was found not guilty of damaging property.

Parkes, of Arnold Crescent, Mexborough, admitted causing damage.

Anderton pleaded guilty to the assault on the teenager but was found not guilty of damaging property.

The other 17-year-old youth, of Mexborough, pleaded guilty to assaulting the teenager.

Nika was found not guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against the teenager.

The other 17 year-old, who cannot be named and has spent time remanded in custody, was previously sentenced on October 27 to a two-year conditional discharge for the assault against the teenager.

Adam Kane, defending, said Meanley has learning difficulties and had been placed on an “at risk” register because he was being targeted by organised crime gangs.

Defence barrister Clive Stockwell said Nika had a passive role in the vehicle as a passenger during the shooting and neither he or Anderton had any antipathy towards the PSB.

Nicholas Rhodes, defending, said there is no evidence Anderton had a particular plan to pursue the PSB.

Frida Hussain, defending, said there was no evidence Parkes knew Lewis Williams or anyone in the PSB and he has learning difficulties.

Judge Richardson, who sentenced the defendants, said: “These individuals are prepared to indulge in serious crime, indeed, in this case the most serious form of crime – murder and manslaught by use of firearms.”

He added: “They have as individuals participated in a drive-by shooting executed with determination and zeal and each one of the defendants knew what he was doing.”

Judge Richardson imposed life custodial sentences for Meanley and Parkes and they must both serve a minimum term of 27 years, and Anderton and Nika were each sentenced to 12 years of detention.

He told Meanley: “You had this gun for some time and you were boastful about it. You knew what you were doing. I regard you as a very dangerous individual.

"I have no idea whether it will ever be safe to release you from custody. I have a suspicion it will not.”

Read more: Mexborough shooting: Four South Yorkshire killers left man dead in the street after drive-by shooting