Armed officers located a shooter at an upscale Stratford hotel, discovering approximately £2,000 of cocaine alongside a taser device. Detectives apprehended 19-year-old J’jay Lawlor at the Crown Plaza establishment seven days after he fired at motorcyclist Liam Roberts, striking him in the arm during an occurrence in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull.
The confrontation unfolded at 11pm on the night of January 25 the previous year. Lawlor emerged from a Volvo in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull, his features concealed, and immediately approached two motorcyclists he had never previously encountered.
Lawlor confronted Roberts, one of the riders, with threats demanding he dismount immediately.
Without any additional warning, he discharged a weapon he had hidden within a blue bag.
Lawlor subsequently re-entered the car, leaving behind the motorcycle he had appeared so intent on acquiring, and escaped with his two associates; driver James Sherriff and passenger Carl Gamble.
Roberts found himself wounded by a gunshot to his arm and required hospitalisation, including surgical intervention to extract the bullet.
Lawlor, now aged 21, along with Sherriff, 47, and Gamble, 29, have each been convicted of numerous charges.
As the sentencing hearing commenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, July 24, Roberts provided a victim impact statement to the proceedings.
The father of three described the experience as having profoundly disturbed him.
He disclosed that he now felt anxious around unfamiliar people and found it difficult to place trust in those around him.
Roberts confirmed that he and his family had subsequently moved residence, expressing frustration that Lawlor had not testified during the trial.
He stated he merely sought understanding and wanted to know why he had been shot, explaining that his family and himself deserved answers.
During proceedings, Lynette McClement, representing Lawlor, indicated she had questioned her client directly regarding the motivation for shooting Roberts.
She explained that Roberts happened to be in the wrong location and was not the intended target. She noted that Lawlor had requested people not be frightened in future as Roberts had not been the person they were after. She indicated the motorcycle itself had been the target, and whoever had been riding it would have faced the same outcome.
Lawlor was taken into custody roughly a week afterwards at the Crown Plaza establishment in Stratford Upon Avon.
Officers seized more than £2,000 worth of cocaine that he had been distributing, together with a conducted energy weapon.
Prior to the shooting, he possessed no prior convictions.
Judge Richard Bond observed that beginning a criminal career with such serious offences was uncommon.
He noted that the level of force used against Roberts was excessive.
The court was told that Lawlor had never known his biological father, who was serving a lengthy prison term. His step-father was also incarcerated for large-scale drug importation.
McClement revealed that Lawlor had observed a disturbing recording of his step-father being assaulted at HMP Belmarsh in London, describing this as having a significant psychological impact on him.
She outlined that the family received threats and the young man rapidly developed a cocaine dependency, being under the influence of the drug when the shooting took place.
Lawlor, from Stratford Road, Solihull, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, firearm possession during a schedule 1 offence, holding a prohibited weapon, and possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.
Following trial proceedings, he was found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and causing wounding with intent.
Sherriff, residing at Masons Way, Solihull, and Gamble, who had no permanent residence, were similarly convicted of wounding, robbery and firearms charges.
The matter has been postponed for sentencing at a subsequent hearing.