GUNSHOT victim Damian Munroe was lucky to escape with his life after Bradley Okoro attacked him on a night out in 2006.

The 28-year-old from Sheffield received only minor wounds when a bullet fired by Okoro, then 20, grazed his head early on April 22.

Mr Munroe went to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary after the incident on Cross Church Street, but was released following minimal treatment for a 2in wound.

However, as prosecutors said, he escaped a potentially fatal injury by millimetres.

The attack was even more shocking because there was no obvious motive.

During the two-week trial of Okoro and his associates, James Collier and Carl Hughes, it was never established why a confrontation between the three men and a group from Sheffield ended in such extreme violence.

There were suggestions that it may have stemmed from a fracas between the two groups in the Visage nightclub at Folly Hall earlier that night.

Collier, 27, of Stoney Cross Street, Taylor Hill, had been thrown out of the nightclub because of an argument.

But at that stage no-one could have predicted that a routine scuffle would have escalated to such an extent.

Nevertheless, within 90 minutes the three defendants – Okoro with a gun – approached the Sheffield group after they had parked their cars on Cross Church Street.

Mr Munroe was sitting in his Jeep when he was shot at twice through an open window.

Taxi driver Hafeez Rehman told the court he was in his cab when he heard shouting and gunfire.

Other terrified eyewitnesses described chaos as a quiet night erupted into violence.

CCTV footage showed the Jeep speeding off along Cross Church Street with Mr Munroe still in it.

It collided with the taxi.

The defendants were seen fleeing the scene, Collier in a Ford Escort and Okoro and Hughes on foot, towards Huddersfield Parish Church.

A white zip-up top later seized by police at Collier’s house contained firearms residue.

It was said he shaved off his eyebrows to remove any residue particles.

Hughes and Collier denied knowing Okoro, but phone records showed repeated calls between Collier and Okoro before and after the incident.

There was also evidence they had together been involved in other violent incidents.

The jury took less than three-and-a-half hours to convict Okoro of attempted murder.

Despite their claims to be innocent bystanders Hughes and Collier were found guilty of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, violent disorder and possessing a firearm.

They remain in custody awaiting sentence.

The police are now hoping that Okoro can be tracked down and punished for his leading role.