Teen cleared of attempting to murder 'snitch' in drive-by shooting

Tyrell Harris denied being the gunman and was acquitted of the attempted murder of Sufiyan Khan and possession of a firearm with intent after a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

But the jury found him guilty of wounding the same man with intent less than a month before the shotgun attack on the parked Peugeot in which Mr Khan was the front seat passenger close to the junction of Green Street and Vicarage Road, Smethwick, on August 14.

The blast from a passing VW shattered windows on either side of the car but 'miraculously' missed the driver and caused only minor injuries to Mr Khan before hitting the electricity box of an adjacent house, explained Mr Paul Spratt, prosecuting.

Police found the VW abandoned nearby soon afterwards.

It had been stolen from an address in Smethwick two days earlier.

Mr Khan claimed people congregated outside his home, called him a 'snitch' and threatened to stab him after he told police he had been robbed. He was then targeted in a hate campaign that culminated in the terrifying shooting, the court heard.

Mr Spratt told the defendant during cross examination: "The person at the end of the gun with the windows wound down was you.

"You were carrying on the intimidation, weren't you?" Harris replied: "No sir."

He admitted stabbing Mr Khan in the calf with a hunting knife at a car park off Smethwick High Street on July 22.

But claimed to have acted in self defence, alleging the other man was threatening him with a Taser.

Ramel Bennett, aged 18, was with Harris and prevented the victim's friend from intervening during the stabbing, the court heard.

A hunting knife was later found in a tumble dryer at the home of Harris.

Bennett, from Laurel Drive, Smethwick, was found not guilty of wounding with intent in relation to the stabbing.

However, he was convicted of unlawful wounding.

He and Harris of Abbeyfield Road, Erdington, were both remanded in custody.

They are both expected to be sentenced on May 19.