Four convicted over shooting plot in Wishaw

Vito Dimarco, Darren Hattersley, Nathan Odley and Pamiela O'Connor were convicted on Thursday

Three men have been jailed over a murder plot about a man who was shot outside his home in a pre-planned attack.

The victim, in his 50s, was shot in his leg and arm on Grove Lane, Wishaw, near Sutton Coldfield, in September 2021.

He was confronted by a man in a balaclava brandishing a gun who shouted "oi geezer" at him before firing.

The trio were jailed at Warwick Crown Court on Friday after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.

The unnamed victim, whom police said had had an ongoing dispute with one defendant, suffered life-changing injuries and spent nearly a month in hospital recovering, according to the Warwickshire force.

He saw a car driving up and down his road at about 13:00 BST on 5 September and was shot when he went outside.

He tried to crawl away from his attacker who moved towards him and fired again, causing injuries to his arm, wrist and hand, police said.

Detectives discovered the victim had a dispute with 36-year-old Vito Dimarco, of Swadlincote, Derbyshire, who had a previous conviction and restraining order placed on him two months earlier in connection with an assault on the victim in a separate attack, police added.

The shooting was in Grove Lane, Wishaw, in September 2021

Detectives said Dimarco hired two men seen inside the car - 56-year-old Darren Hattersley, from Nottingham, and Nathan Odley, 42, from Derby - to kill the man.

Pamiela O'Connor, 38, of Glenwood Road, Chellaston, Derby, gave a false alibi for Odley, her partner at the time, and was convicted of perverting the course of justice.

Investigating officer, Det Insp Collette O'Keefe, said Dimarco arranged the attack due to the dispute and recruited the others deliberately from outside the local area to help.

"Dimarco is a bully who uses violence to assert his authority while O'Connor lied to police in an effort to provide a false alibi for Odley," she said.

"Fortunately, the victim survived and was able to provide us with key information that allowed us to identify the getaway car and associated men.

"He has been extremely brave, and both the victim and his family have been patient and fully supportive during the police investigation - I hope this conviction now brings him and his family some peace."

The defendants and sentences in full:

• Vito Dimarco, of Donisthorpe Lane in Derbyshire, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 22 years

• Darren Hattersley, of Church Lane, in Thrumpton, was sentenced to 30 years with an extended period of five years on licence

• Nathan Odley, of Osmaston Road in Derby, was also sentenced to 30 years with an extended period of five years on licence

• Pamiela O'Connor, 38, of Glenwood Road, Chellaston, will be sentenced at a later date for perverting the course of justice