A man has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison for a brazen daylight drive-by shooting on a busy West Bromwich street, an attack witnessed by a police officer.
The Daylight Attack
Adyan Hussain, aged 22, was behind the wheel of a black Vauxhall Mokka when he fired two shots from a shotgun at a white Volkswagen Golf on May 1. The incident occurred at approximately 11.40am on High Street, as the victim was waiting in a queue of traffic to turn onto Trinity Way.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that Hussain positioned his car close to the victim's vehicle. His first shot missed the car entirely, but the second shot shattered the rear windscreen of the Golf, sending pellets towards the man inside.
Investigation and Aftermath
The victim, a man in his 20s, managed to drive himself to the Midland Met Hospital's A&E department. He was found to have multiple wounds to the back of his head and body caused by the shotgun pellets. Fortunately, his injuries did not require major traumatic treatment.
Officers from West Midlands Police's major crime unit identified the suspects after analysing hours of CCTV footage. The investigation revealed that about 30 minutes before the attack, co-defendant Naveed Hussain had dropped Adyan Hussain off in Leopard Lane, West Bromwich.
The court was told a black holdall bag, purchased the day before, was used to hide the shotgun and carry false registration plates, which were fitted to the Vauxhall Mokka just before the shooting. After the attack, the car was abandoned in Oldbury and its plates were changed again the following day.
Court Sentencing and Community Impact
Adyan Hussain, of Salisbury Road, West Bromwich, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. On Tuesday, November 4, he was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison and must serve at least two-thirds of that term.
In defence, Mr Singh stated that Hussain, who worked as a delivery and taxi driver, was "full of regret and remorse" and had been asked to carry out the shooting due to a feud involving another person. He described his client as having "thrown a lot of his life away."
Sentencing Hussain, Judge John Edwards condemned the brazen nature of the crime, which took place in broad daylight in a line of traffic. He stated that gun crime "destabilises communities" and that the public are "rightly concerned at a recent surge in shootings." Naveed Hussain, of Ida Road, West Bromwich, admitted assisting an offender and will be sentenced at a later date.
