Men jailed for over 80 years for Dudley shooting
Five jailed after woman left with life-changing injuries
Five men have been jailed for a combined total of more than 80 years following a shooting incident in Dudley that left a woman with life-changing injuries.
On the early morning of 3rd July last year, shots were fired from a grey Audi at an address on Priory Road.
A woman in her 20s was hospitalised after being hit by a bullet which penetrated the front door.
The Audi was found to have been stolen from a Wednesbury address in the early hours of 2nd July.
CCTV footage showed the Audi being driven past the target address three times before five shots were fired around 11.45pm on 2nd July.
Kile Straker, 35, Ethan Colbourne, 23, and Kieron Atkins, 27, were arrested following extensive investigative efforts by officers, including reviewing hours of CCTV footage.
Straker was arrested along with Colbourne after firearms officers stopped a vehicle linked to the shooting in Oldbury on 14th July.
Atkins was apprehended in West Bromwich a few days later.
All three were convicted of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Stephen Simms, 24, and Iranveer Gill, 28, were also arrested in connection with the car theft.
Gill, of Bridgnorth Road, Shipley, was additionally convicted of motor vehicle theft.
Straker, Colbourne, and Simms, of Alexandra Road, pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle before the trial commenced.
Sentencing
The men were handed significant sentences on Thursday:
- Kile Straker was given 30 years plus an additional five years on licence.
- Ethan Colbourne received a 26-year sentence.
- Kieron Atkins was sentenced to 28 years behind bars.
- Stephen Simms was sentenced to 10 months.
- Iranveer Gill was handed an eight-month suspended sentence.
A 25-year-old Wolverhampton man previously pleaded guilty to vehicle theft, resulting in a 12-month prison sentence.
Detective Inspector Francis Nock from the Major Crime Unit stated: "This was a planned shooting involving a stolen car which was not only terrifying for the woman, but left her with life-changing injuries. Those involved in this attack have rightly been taken off the streets for a very long time having received significant jail terms."
The operation was conducted under Operation Target, with efforts continuing round-the-clock to identify and bring criminals involved in serious and organised crime to justice.