A jury has been shown CCTV of the moment an innocent clubber was hit in the face during a shooting incident at a Huddersfield nightspot.
Prosecutor Clare Walsh told Bradford Crown Court on Monday how Louis Jackson had been getting a drink in Kewz Bar on Queen Street when a handgun was fired across a busy upstairs dancefloor.
Mr Jackson was later treated for a one-centimetre puncture wound to his left cheek and had to have several stitches inserted in the injury.
Mrs Walsh revealed that 35-year-old Mirfield man Wayne Bucknor had already pleaded guilty to possessing the firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and assaulting Mr Jackson as a result of the early hours incident at the club back in January 2016.
But a second man, 36-year-old Martin Harriott, of Staynton Crescent, Bradley, went on trial accused of the same offences.
Mrs Walsh alleged that Harriott had “assisted or encouraged” Bucknor in committing his crimes and the jury were shown various clips of CCTV footage from both inside and outside the bar.
Harriott, who has pleaded not guilty to both charges, was arrested in February 2016 and during his police interview he denied being responsible in any way and said he was not even aware a firearm had been discharged in the club.
The jury heard that Bucknor and Harriott had been in another bar earlier that night, but after going their separate ways they again met up in Kewz Bar at about 3.30am.
Mrs Walsh said about 20 minutes before the shooting the two men left together and walked across town to get Harriott’s Honda car which was captured on CCTV parking up opposite the bar.
She alleged that the footage showed Harriott “keeping watch” as Bucknor reached into the car before they went back into Kewz Bar .
The court heard that Bucknor had put gloves on and Mrs Walsh said his jacket was zipped up to conceal the handgun.
She alleged that the two defendants were “looking for someone” in the minutes leading up to the incident and at just after 4.30am the club CCTV equipment captured the moment that people on the dancefloor reacted to the gunshot by looking towards the first floor landing area.
Mrs Walsh said the bullet from the gun had “flown across the room” and Mr Jackson suffered a cut to his cheek.
The two defendants walked out of the bar separately, but they then got into Harriott’s car and drove off.
She told the jury that phone evidence showed that the pair were in contact twice in the hours after the shooting, but Harriott then stopped using that mobile phone number.
Mrs Walsh alleged that particularly in the 20 minutes before the incident Harriott must have known that Bucknor had the gun and she suggested that the Honda had been brought closer to the bar so it was easy to use as a getaway vehicle after the crime.
“At the point of the shot Mr Harriott could not have been far behind Mr Bucknor in the staircase and landing area,” alleged Mrs Walsh. “Eye witnesses certainly heard the shot even if they did not see where it came from.”
She said Harriott’s account of the evening “doesn’t hold water”.
The trial continues.
