A gun used in a shooting in Salford was later discovered in a Sainsbury’s bag stored within a sofa, a jury heard.
The firearm was found more than a month after a 20-year-old man ‘miraculously’ survived being shot to the chest in Little Hulton. Three men are accused of attempted murder after a 20-year-old man was blasted at a house in Little Hulton, Salford.
Tyler Harrison, 20; James Gregory, 20; and Jacob Humphreys, 21, all deny trying to murder Samuel Adesanya. Prosecutors say they cannot say who pulled the trigger during the shooting on May 26.
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Manchester Crown Court heard that a self loading pistol was discovered in the back of a property in Bolton the following month. Prosecuting, David Temkin KC said: “On June 28 this year police officers had reason to visit an address in Farnworth. That address was not particularly far from the home address of some of these defendants.
“It is a house, at the time it was separated into two separate flats. The two flats shared the back garden. There was an outbuilding, it was full of junk. Amongst the junk there were two sofas. Police found that in one of them there was a neatly cut tear.
“The police searched inside the cushions of the sofa. They pulled out a number of black bags containing cash. But more significantly they pulled out an orange bag, a Sainsbury’s bag. That bag didn’t contain cash, it contained a gun. It contained live ammunition.
“The firearm was loaded and ready to go.” Mr Temkin said that tests were carried out on the weapon and it was found to operate ‘normally’. A bullet casing found at the scene of the shooting was analysed, which led to the ‘conclusive determination’ that it was the same weapon, the jury was told.
(Image: ASP)
“It is the same gun that was used in the shooting of Samuel Adesanya on May 26 this year,” Mr Temkin said. “That was a very very important discovery for the police who were investigating this case.”
Jurors also heard that the day before the shooting, Mr Humphreys allegedly sent a message to a contact asking about a car. He is said to have written: “Only need it for a literally a day bro. Then it getting [emoji].”
Mr Temkin said the emoji was ‘flames, or fire’. He told jurors: “The prosecution case in respect of these messages is that Jacob Humphreys was on the hunt for a car. The car was needed only for a day, and then it would be getting burnt.”
Jurors have heard that a black Vauxhall Insignia was allegedly used by the offenders to arrive at the scene of the shooting. About half an hour later, firefighters were called to a ‘quiet residential street’ in Little Hulton to reports of a car on fire.
The subsequent investigation showed that the car was a black Vauxhall Insignia. Prosecutors allege the fire was started deliberately. Mr Temkin said of the message: “You may agree that the message is significant. It suggests that Jacob Humphreys was deeply involved in the shooting. He knew, say the prosecution, full well what was going to take place.”
Mr Harrison (23/09/04) of Wigan; Mr Gregory (02/06/04) of Salford; and Mr Humphreys (03/05/03) of Wigan; all deny attempted murder – and an alternative charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Proceeding.
