Caught on video: Thugs with knife and hammer bring violence to streets of Wolverhampton

The mobile phone footage, obtained by the Express & Star, can be shown for the first time today after two teenagers were found guilty of taking part in the gang-related violence that saw a gun fired and teenage girl hit with a hammer.

At least two more youths were armed with knives when rival gangs clashed in and around the Britannia Hotel in Wolverhampton city centre.

WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND VIOLENT SCENES

At the city's crown court yesterday, a jury found a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, guilty of possessing an imitation firearm with intent.

A 17-year-old youth, who also cannot be named, was found guilty of possessing a knife.

They were both convicted by unanimous verdicts after a jury deliberated for one hour and 53 minutes. Both youths were given conditional bail and will be sentenced at the same court on March 6.

During the trial, Mr Philip Beardwell, prosecuting, described the brawl at 8pm on April 19 as 'a very serious and ugly incident of public disorder'.

Footage of the violence captured on a mobile phone by a member of the public played a key role in the prosecution of those involved.

The film played to the jury showed a youth armed with a hammer being chased into the Britannia, in Lichfield Street, by two other teens, one of whom had a knife.

A scuffle followed in the foyer that was captured on the hotel's CCTV and also shown to the court. Two teenagers admitted their involvement in this incident at an earlier court hearing.

During the trial, the court heard how a group of five girls heading for a night out in the city after arriving at the bus station were enveloped by the youths fighting in the street.

The 17-year-old was seen waving a knife around moments before the girls heard a gunshot. The 16-year-old was then seen with what appeared to be a firearm that was then pointed at three of the girls.

Neither the knife nor the gun was found but a blank bullet casing was recovered from the scene.

Mr Beardwell said it could not be proved that a real gun was involved. "But you can be sure that it was at least an imitation firearm," he said.

Giving evidence during the trial, a 17-year-old girl said she had seen a group of around 15 youths running towards the Prince Albert pub and then back towards the Britannia Hotel.

"One of them came towards one of my friends who was standing behind me," she said. "He was swinging a hammer and shouting threats at my friend. He said he was going to hit her with the hammer. I am sure he said he was going to kill her.

"As he raised the hammer in the air I grabbed his arm. We were pushing each other and I dropped to the floor. As that happened one of his friends kicked me hard in the ribs knocking the breath our of me.

"Then the youth with the hammer who had fallen over with me got up and hit me with it on the spine quite hard. I was curled up in a ball and stayed there for five or 10 minutes."

At an earlier hearing, Nathaniel Nugent, 18, of Pembridge Road, Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, admitted possession of a knife and affray.

A 16-year-old boy from Wolverhampton, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also admitted possession of a hammer and affray.

They will be sentenced at the same time as the two youths.

The prosecution dropped a charge of affray against Shamar Fairclough, 19, of Coppice Green Lane, Shifnal who agreed to be bound over for 12 months in the sum of £200.