A brutal shooting in Dudley has resulted in a gang receiving more than 80 years of combined prison sentences. The terrifying incident left a woman in her 20s with life-changing injuries after shots were fired from a stolen Audi.
The attack took place just after midnight on 3 July last year. Gunfire erupted from a grey Audi outside a home on Priory Road. One bullet broke through the front door and struck the woman, who was immediately rushed to hospital.
Police reviewed hours of CCTV footage to trace the movements of the stolen Audi. The car had been taken from a Wednesbury address in the early hours of 2 July. On the night of the shooting, the Audi was seen circling the victim’s home three times before the shots were fired.
Following a major manhunt, firearms officers made arrests in Oldbury on 14 July. They detained 35-year-old Kile Straker and 23-year-old Ethan Colbourne. A few days later, 27-year-old Kieron Atkins was arrested in West Bromwich.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court last month, Straker, Colbourne, and Atkins were found guilty of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. They received the following sentences:
- Kile Straker (Wolverhampton) – 30 years plus 5 years on licence
- Ethan Colbourne (Tipton) – 26 years
- Kieron Atkins (West Bromwich) – 28 years
Additionally, Stephen Simms was sentenced to 10 months for car theft, and Iranveer Gill received an 8-month suspended sentence for stealing the Audi.
Detective Inspector Francis Nock commented on the case: “This was a planned shooting involving a stolen car which was not only terrifying for the woman, but left her with life-changing injuries. Those involved have rightly been taken off the streets for a very long time.”
The Major Crime Unit continues its relentless crackdown on organised crime through Operation Target, working tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.
Originally published by UKNIP.
