Jury told '˜drug runner shot in face in gang turf war'

Jurors heard Jamie Sibley, 35, suffered a life-changing head injury in the attack in Athena Avenue, Waterlooville, on February 13 last year when he was shot in the face and head after being lured outside a block of flats around 1am.

Mr Sibley needed major reconstructive surgery at Southampton General Hospital following the incident.

Jordan Perry, 27, of Acacia Road, Mitcham, Surrey, Jordan Smith, 22, of Lysander Gardens, Surbiton, London and Ricardo Livingston-Wright, 31, of Selsfield Road, Brighton, yesterday went on trial at Winchester Crown Court.

They deny attempted murder, causing grievance bodily harm and possession of a firearm.

Sara Hodgkinson, 32, of Magpie Walk, Waterlooville, is on trial for assisting an offence after she was alleged to set up Mr Sibley. She denies the charge.

The court heard how conflict exploded between the defendants’ gang, The Big G, and the network Mr Sibley was a runner for – known as Air and Tony. Both gangs were London based but had regional operations.

Prosecutor Adam Feest QC said The Big G hit back against Air and Tony in a ‘swift and effective revenge attack’ in an attempt to reign supreme in the lucrative Crookhorn area. Matters came to a head after a robbery against Big G territory was blamed on Air and Tony.

‘Mr Sibley was a runner for a drug network and was lured outside his flat by Ms Hodgkinson under the pretext she wanted to buy drugs,’ Mr Feest said.

‘When Mr Sibley opened his door two men emerged from the bushes and shot him in the side of the face and head. They left him for dead bleeding on the floor. It was a revenge attack from one drug network on another.’

Perry, Smith and Livingston-Wright travelled down from London seeking retribution for the robbery with Hodgkinson acting as the bait after ordering drugs off Mr Sibley.

‘The scene was set for revenge with Mr Sibley unaware of Ms Hodgkinson’s lure. He went out to meet her but was surprised she was on the other side of the path when he saw two men emerge from the darkness before he was shot in the face and head. They then fled the scene,’ Mr Feest said.

‘The three defendants wanted to protect their profitable drug network. It was a statement of their intentions to shoot whoever was working for the rival network – it mattered little who it was.’

The prosecutor added that it was ‘extraordinary’ that Mr Sibley survived and that all the defendants played their particular part in the shooting. Hodgkinson may not have known the full extent of the planned shooting but knew serious harm was intended and played a ‘crucial role’, Mr Feest said.

‘These were dealers from London using the south coast as a local base or delivery centre. The network was well organised with considerable effort to increase profit. It was a lucrative business with high risk.’

Mr Feest said drug users in the area flitted between The Big G and Air and Tony and the attempt to wipe out Mr Sibley was to demonstrate control.

(Proceeding)