House near double murder scene in Wolverhampton was struck by bullet, court hears
The alleged killer and the victims were captured on film at a music festival in Manchester before shooting
A house close to the scene of an alleged double shooting was struck by a bullet resulting in a window being smashed, a jury has heard.
When officers checked the property in Leicester Street in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton they found a bullet hole in a wall inside.
Alleged gunman Mohammed Maneer Khan, aged 39, is accused of firing at Duaine Mills, Syed Zain Ali and Sahil Idrees as they sat in a car outside homes shortly after 3am on September 19 last year. Mr Mills, aged 28, was pronounced dead at the scene while Mr Ali , a father-of-three died from his injuries in hospital.
Both had been shot in the head.
On Wednesday afternoon the jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that when officers checked the scene they found evidence of firearms discharge, bullets, bullet fragments and cartridges in the vicinity. There was also a “clear bullet hole” inside a house where the window had been broken.
Items recovered from inside a silver Audi used by the dead men included a machete, two knives and a hammer. A bullet was found on its wheel arch and bullet fragments in the footwell. The jury previous heard the vehicle had been struck by a volley of shots.
The jury also heard that £120 had been paid into the account of co-defendant Samir Patel, aged 43, of Walsall, after the shooting and that checks of his bank account showed most of it was used to pay the Passport Office for documents linked to Khan. However, there was no sum linked to him receiving a reward relating to the case.
The court heard that when he was arrested on January 14 Patel answered some of the detectives’ questions and refused to respond some of the questions put to him.
Mr Mills, Mr Ali and a third man named Sahil Idrees had driven into Harrow Street near the Leicester Street junction in the silver Audi A4 shortly after 3am before getting out and attacking a black Audi RS6. They ran back to their car, but were followed by a man who fired at them. Mr Idrees was unhurt.
The prosecution alleges that there had been an incident involving some of the men in the case at the Steppers Assemble festival in Manchester the previous month. And that Khan, formerly of Great Hampton Street, Whitmore Reans, was the gunman captured on CCTV. He had been driving the wrecked black Audi.
Khan, known as Manny, of St Catharine’s Close, Walsall, denies two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Yaseen Patel, aged 35, of Bromford Way, Washwood Heath, Birmingham, and Samir Patel also of St Catharine’s Close, Walsall, deny perverting the course of justice relating to Khan obtaining a passport in the aftermath of the incident.
The trial continues.