Lewis Williams shooting: Gang member shot dead in 'planned execution'

A gang member was shot dead in the street in "a planned execution" by rivals, a court has heard.

Lewis Williams, 20, suffered injuries to his face and neck in the drive-by shooting in Wath Road, Mexborough, on the afternoon of 11 January.

Three men and two teenagers aged 16 and 17, who cannot be named due to their age, have all denied his murder.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the shooting was part of gang-related rivalry.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Stephen Wood said Mr Williams was associated with a gang known as "PSB, which stands for Pittsmoor Shotta Boys".

He was shot at while walking with two other males.

Jack Parkes, 21, of Arnold Crescent, Doncaster, Ryan Nisbet, 20, of Springwood Road, Barnsley, and Joe Anderton, 18, of Jubilee Road, Doncaster, along with the two teenagers, were in a Jaguar car when they drove past, the court was told.

One of them fired a shotgun from the front passenger seat at Mr Williams who was just "yards away", said Mr Wood.

The jury of 10 men and four women were told the 20-year-old "sustained catastrophic injuries to his head and neck".

Mr Wood said: "The prosecution's case is that each of the five males in the car knew that they were searching for Lewis Williams.

"They each knew that within that vehicle was a deadly weapon and they each knew that the weapon would be used to shoot with the intention of killing Mr Williams.

"In other words, this was a planned execution."

Following arrests of all the defendants, police recovered a number of mobile phones.

On one of them officers found a photograph of a homemade "slam-gun" and cartridge, which was taken the night before the shooting, the prosecutor said.

Jurors heard the phone belonged to the 17-year-old defendant, who had been overheard by a teenage girl saying: "Lewis Williams, I'm gonna kill him, he has broke my car", on the morning of the attack.

The girl, who was at the 17-year-old's home, was then threatened by the defendant who had "put the gun to her neck, under her chin", the court heard.

Mr Woods said the teenage defendant told her: "If you say anything about anything I've just said, that's it, I'm coming for you."

The trial continues.

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