Wolverhampton 'murderous feud' led to children's playground shooting

An 11-year-old girl and a boy, 15, were injured when shots were fired from a car in Shelley Road in Wolverhampton

An 11-year-old girl and a boy aged 15 were shot during a "murderous" feud between two rival groups, a jury heard.

CCTV footage of shots being fired from a stolen car towards a children's playground was shown to Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

The prosecution said the events, in Wolverhampton on 1 May, were "straight from a movie director's script".

The children needed hospital treatment after they sustained leg wounds in the Shelley Road playground.

Kian Durnin, 22, of Milton Road, Martinho De-Sousa, 24, of Deansfield Road and Tireq McIntosh, 23, from Valley Road - all in Wolverhampton - deny attempting to murder a person unknown.

They also pleaded not guilty to wounding both victims with intent, possessing two handguns with intent to endanger life and aggravated vehicle-taking.

'Right in line of fire'

Prosecutor Tim Cray KC likened events to a movie because of the shootings from vehicles and car chases.

Opening the case, Mr Cray told the jury to first watch a short clip of a video, said to show the driver and front seat passenger of a grey Ford Focus firing from the vehicle.

Alleging the intended targets of the shooting were the occupants of a black Mini Cooper, Mr Cray said the children's playground was "right in the line of fire".

"Two people were hit by the bullets," he said, "The 11-year-old girl was playing in the park in the playground with her friends."

"One of the bullets hit her."

Two children were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds to their legs after the shooting

"Another young person was 15-years-old at the time, he was in the car park area on a push bike and one of the bullets hit him, again in the leg."

The jury was told both children, who cannot be identified, were treated in hospital and recovered from their injuries.

The court also heard both vehicles had been stolen, with a man on an electric bike and a Peugeot and a Seat Leon later chasing the Focus alongside the Mini, with one of the chasers firing a shot which blew out the back windscreen.

"Durnin was the driver, McIntosh was the front seat passenger and De-Sousa was in the back seat," Mr Cray said of the Focus.

'Planned attack'

He told the court the car had reversed near the entrance of the park, with both Durnin and Mcintosh "firing handguns" whilst leaning out of the car windows.

The pair both deny being in the Focus at the time of the shooting.

But Mr Cray said the evidence showed "two armed groups existing cheek by jowl with each other", who were prepared to fire live ammunition and engage in a high-speed chase with "murderous intent".

"All those things prove this was a planned attack on rivals, caring absolutely nothing for the public and whoever may be caught up in the shooting or the aftermath," he told the jury.

The trial continues.