Ex-footballer locked up after firing sawn-off shotgun during gangland street violence

Former professional footballer Yusupha Sarr fired a sawn-off shotgun twice as a man armed with a revolver ran towards him, a judge heard. Earlier he had used his phone to video a man 'showing off' by firing a handgun.

A pistol was fired once during the terrifying shoot out, in and around Pine Avenue, Smethwick, shortly after midnight on August 24 last year, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Another person involved in the drama also had a pistol but did not fire the weapon during the clash between the rival gangs, revealed Mr Marc Davies, prosecuting.

People standing outside the house party ran for their lives amid the sound of gunfire which was heard by armed officers in unmarked on duty in the area in response to intelligence suggesting men linked to gangs were attending an 18th birthday party.

The prosecutor explained: "As a result the police became involved very quickly. This was two gangs meeting in a residential area against a background of gang related violence in a public setting."

A CCTV camera captured the moment the shooting started after two cars, apparently travelling in convoy, came to a standstill in the area.

A man is seen running from one of the parked vehicles in a way that suggested he was carrying a gun. Then Sarr comes into view holding the sawn-off shotgun and a flash from the barrel of the weapon is visible in the film footage.

It was fired 'in the vicinity' of a number of people, including the man who had got out of the car armed with a handgun, the court was told.

A spent 8mm bullet was later found on the ground apparently confirming that the pistol had been fired at least once during the face off. Those involved scattered and neither of the two men seen with handguns have been traced.

Sarr, now aged 19 but 18 at the time, and 18-year-old Christ Lidiu - 17 at the time - left the scene separately and were spotted meeting up again around two hours later. Both were allegedly linked to a Birmingham street gang known as ‘23 Drillas’.

The pair - who had been in repeated phone contact during the run up to the confrontation - were among four men who climbed into a taxi and were overheard his passengers discussing weapons which led to the arrest of the two teenagers.

The vehicle stopped during its journey near Aston Lane to allow Lidiu to go to a bus shelter where he dumped a bag in the bin before returning soon afterwards to move it to another spot near some railings. Police found it later and discovered 49 live shotgun cartridges in a plastic bag inside the vanity case.

Another bag abandoned in the area had Sarr's fingerprints on it. Inside was a loaded sawn off shotgun, announced Mr Davies. Both defendants had gunshot residue on them.

Mr Andrew Molloy, defending Sarr. who admitted possession of a prohibited weapon with intent to endanger life, said: "He has always denied being a member of any gang that may, or may not, have been present at the scene. For many years he tried to stay out of the trouble he knew people growing up in that area got involved in.

"He is a very talented footballer and for a time had a professional contract with Chesterfield but returned home because of homesickness. During the subsequent lull in football he started hanging around with the wrong people and got into trouble. He accepts full responsibility for his actions."

Mr Andrew Jackson, for Lidiu, who pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice on the basis he hid the shotgun cartridges after seeing the firing of the weapon which he knew nothing about previously, maintained: "He did not know violence was afoot. He is a young man who is essentially good but young men such as him can be taken off that path by peer pressure."

Sarr was ordered to be detained for 15 years with a 5-year extended period on licence upon release while Lidiu received three years detention.

Judge Michael Challinor told Sarr: "You need to be taken off the streets for the safety of the public. Those associated with gangs with firearms in the street will be shown no mercy."

Detective Constable Nick Taylor from West Midlands Police Force CID, said: "We do not believe anyone was injured but clearly this kind of reckless behaviour can have catastrophic consequences and innocent members of the public could have been hurt.

"While analysing Sarr’s mobile phone we came across a short video clip of a man firing a handgun. We believe the individual was showing off rather than firing at anyone. It’s suspected the clip was filmed at a property in Birmingham on the evening before Sarr was arrested."

Anyone with information is urged to call the Birmingham Gangs & Organised Crime Unit at West Midlands Police on the 101 number - or the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.