Gunman who wrongly shot innocent dad during a drive-by attack jailed

Innocent Dale Stogden, 50, known as Brett, was not the intended target when Leyton Davies, 28, brazenly shot him dead whilst sat at a bus stop in Wakefield.

And today he was given a life sentence at Leeds Crown Court after he was found guilty of the father-of-two murder following a two week trial March 12.

His two accomplices Adam Ahmed, 21, of Robin Hood Crescent, Wakefield, and Marc Carter, 20, were found guilty of manslaughter and were sentenced to a total of 12 years' imprisonment on March 17.

Footage played to the court shows the moments leading up to the attack on August 12 last year, as the gang drove past the bus stop - before circling back and firing a single shot.

The court heard Brett was likely not the intended target.

All three had previously admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs including heroin and cocaine.

Brett, described by his two daughters as a "gentle giant", had only recently survived a battle with lung cancer before he was gunned down in the street.

The dad was rushed to hospital but died shortly after 10.30pm from a single gunshot wound, the court heard.

During the trial, jurors heard that Brett had been standing with a friend near a bus stop outside a BP petrol station.

Two other men who had also been there ran off immediately after the shooting - and investigators believe they may have been the intended targets.

Detectives later pieced together the suspects' movements through witness accounts, CCTV footage and phone messages.

Footage showed the three defendants driving earlier that day along with a fourth person who was not in the car at the time of the shooting.

Messages between them suggested they were searching for the two men seen at the bus stop.

More CCTV showed Ahmed hiding a machete before they climbed into a stolen Toyota RAV4 used in the attack.

The vehicle had been taken during a burglary in Castleford, and was being driven with cloned number plates.

Ahmed was behind the wheel with Carter in the front passenger seat and Davies sitting behind him.

The court heard Ahmed initially drove past Brett and the group outside the bus stop before making a U-turn.

As the vehicle slowed, Davies fired a single shot from the open window before Ahmed sped away.

The weapon used in the killing has never been recovered.

However, investigators believe it was a converted blank firing pistol.

The abandoned RAV4 was found the following day.

Enquiries with taxi companies revealed the trio had been picked up by a driver shortly afterwards and made several stops before being dropped off at Davies' home address.

All three men were arrested on August 15 and charged three days later.

They have remained in custody since.

Brett's daughters Piper and Alyssa previously described their dad as a loving parent who had just been given a "second chance" after surviving cancer.

They said: "Dad had the biggest heart of gold and no matter what he was going through he always had a smile on his face."

Following Ahmed and Carter's sentencing the sister said: "The past seven months have been a challenging time for my sister and I, after the death of our dad, Dale Stogden, known to many as Brett.

"Over the course of the trial, we have had to re-live and hear the full details of what occurred on that evening of August 12th 2025.

"On behalf of my sister and I, we would like to thank everyone in securing the convictions of those responsible for taking our dad away from us.

"We would also like to thank our family, friends, and the wider public, for all the kindness and support that they have shown towards us, and our Dad.

"Dad you are missed every day."

Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said: "From what we now understand of this crime, it looks like Brett was not the intended target of this shooting.

"However, as was made clear throughout this trial, killing the wrong person is no defence.

"Him not being the target certainly does not take away from the grief that Brett's family and friends' have suffered."