A man with a “fixation with guns and gangs” blasted a teenager in the face with a sawn off shotgun at his 18th birthday party.
Victim Ricardo Wright lost his lower jaw and tongue as a result of being shot at point-blank range while trying to act as a peacemaker at the celebrations at his home in Handsworth in January
Jayden Copeland-Marks, of Farnham Road, Handsworth, was found guilty of attempted murder and wounding with intent following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Judge James Burbidge QC, adjourned sentence for reports to be prepared on 20 year-old Copeland-Marks whose nickname was ‘Murder’. He was remanded in custody.
He said: “You took a sawn-off shotgun into a party secreted in a drawstring bag so it could be swung around if you decided you needed to use it.
“The jury have on compelling evidence found you guilty of the two charges.
“You appear to have a fixation with guns and gangs.
“Almost 20 young people were enjoying, extremely appropriately, the celebration of Ricardo Wright’s 18th birthday and you produced and fired in a very small environment a prohibited sawn-off shotgun.
“What made you fire it beggars belief.”
The court heard that Copeland-Marks arrived at the party with another individual.
He became involved in an argument with Stefan Bucknor in a small rear lounge.
The defendant then pulled out the gun which was in a JD Sports bag and fired it hitting Mr Wright who had stepped in to try to intervene.
The victim, who had 30 to 40 pellets lodged in his face, was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in a critical condition and initially kept in intensive care.
The court heard that in August this year he had undergone a 12-hour operation which had left him feeling extremely ill.
Following the verdict a statement was made by Mr Wright’s family saying: “The events of January 8 this year were devastating and shocking.
“Mr Wright has received life-changing injuries, has undergone four operations and will require surgery in the future.”
