Sheffield gangster Stephen Dunford jailed for life over shooting of 12-year-old boy who was standing with friends outside sandwich shop

"Arrogant" and "dangerous" Stephen Dunford was jailed for life with a minimum of 19 years today (Wednesday) after he fired a revolver with the intention of killing another man over a drugs war in the Arbourthorne area of Sheffield on January 12.

Instead of hitting his intended target, 25-year-old Dunford struck an innocent 12-year-old boy who was standing with friends outside a sandwich shop on Northern Street.

A court heard it was "only a matter of good fortune and chance" that Dunford did not kill them both.

The terrified child managed to run home to alert his father to what had happened. The court heard surgeons were unable to remove the bullet from the boy's leg and that he and his family had been left deeply psychologically scarred by the shooting.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Dunford this morning that, had the boy died, he could have faced a whole life term with the minimum sentence being 30 years.

Co-accused Brandon Bailey, 26, of Manor Park Way, was jailed for 10 years and six months for related crimes, with the judge telling him he harboured "serious suspicion" his involvement in the crime was much greater than had been established.

Dunford, of Fellbrigg Road, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life in relation to a separate incident two days prior, but was found guilty by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court.

The court heard how, in a foolish and arrogant brag, Dunford penned a rap about the shooting and how his bullet struck a child, reciting it in a phone call from prison.

Sentencing Dunford, Judge Richardson said: "I have not the slightest doubt that you are an exceptionally dangerous man.

"You are arrogant and prepared to do whatever it takes to get your own way, and I am certain you will commit other crimes if you are given the chance to do so.

"You have an easing way with guns. You are a man who is clearly willing to use a gun.

"I am convinced you are a hardened and dangerous criminal."

At a pre-sentencing hearing last week, the father of the 12-year-old boy told the court in a statement how his family "have been living through hell".

"This will never go away for him," said the father, who cannot be named to prevent identification of the child.

"This has traumatised him. He will have to live with this for the rest of his life."

Dunford was told he would see 261 days deducted from his sentence for his time spent in remand, but would serve the rest of his life on licence. He was also disqualified from driving for 21 years.

Julian Briggs, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Although the child was very likely not the intended target, Dunford’s clear intention that day was to kill a nearby individual, and he has now been jailed for attempted murder.

“It is only by great good fortune that his actions did not result in the death of a 12-year-old boy. And it is thanks to the boy’s evidence, despite the traumatic nature of the incident, that this highly dangerous individual has a long jail sentence.

“Our thoughts remain with the boy and his family, as he continues to recover from his injury."

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