Faces of six men convicted after woman injured in Dudley shooting

A group of men have been convicted after a woman was injured during a shooting in Dudley last year

Published

On 3 July, shots were fired from a grey Audi at an address on Priory Road just after 12.15am. A woman in her 20s was struck by a bullet that went through the front door.

She was taken to hospital with life-changing injuries.

As part of West Midlands Police's investigation, officers reviewed hours of CCTV footage to track the movements of the Audi and any other vehicles used in the planning of the shooting.

Kile Straker, Ethan Colbourne, Kieron Atkins
Kile Straker, Ethan Colbourne, Kieron Atkins

Checks revealed the Audi was stolen from an address in Wednesbury in the early hours of 2 July.

It was then parked on a car park on Weavers Rise, Dudley.

At around 11.45pm on July 2, the Audi was then driven from the car park to Priory Road where it drove past the address three times, before five shots were fired.

Following enquiries, on July 14 police arrested Kile Straker, aged 35 and Ethan Colbourne, aged 23, after firearms officers stopped a vehicle in Oldbury associated with the shooting.

They then arrested Kieron Atkins, aged 27 in West Bromwich a few days later.

As part of an investigation into the theft of the Audi, three men, Stephen Simms, aged 24, Iranveer Gill, aged 28 and Kye Everitt, aged 25 were also arrested.

Iranveer Gill, Stephen Simms and Kye Everitt
Iranveer Gill, Stephen Simms and Kye Everitt

Following a four-week trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Straker of Armstrong Drive, Wolverhampton, Colbourne of Moat Road, Tipton and Atkins of Rydding Lane, West Bromwich were convicted of attempted murder and possession of a fireman with intent to endanger life.

Gill, of Bridgnorth Road, Shipley, were also convicted of theft of a motor vehicle. Straker and Colbourne along with Simms of Alexandra Road pleaded guilty to theft of motor vehicle before the start of the trial.

They are due to be sentenced on 26 March.

Everitt of Daley Road, Wolverhampton pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle at an earlier hearing and received a 12-month prison sentence.

Det Sgt Lucy Mooney, from our Major Crime Unit, said: “This investigation involved hours of reviewing CCTV footage to build up a picture of the people and cars involved.

“We discovered that previous owner of the stolen Audi was Straker. He kept the second key for the car and when he needed it, he arranged for it to be stolen.

“The group then used the car as part of the planned shooting. Five bullets were fired at the victim’s home – and one of those struck the woman in the pelvis. She now has life-changing injuries.

“This was a terrifying incident and hope the men spend many years behind bars.”