The jury in a trial over a series of four shootings and a gunpoint robbery has been discharged. Damon Elliott, 27, formerly of Adelaide Road in Kensington, will now face a retrial lasting two weeks on April 5 next year.
Elliott was accused of being the trigger man in a spate of incidents in Everton and Wavertree. The attacks reportedly came against the background of a dispute between rival gangs based in Kensington and the Breck Road area of Anfield.
Incidents in Everton and Wavertree
The series of incidents saw an "entirely innocent" student caught up in gunfire as he watched snowfall in Everton Park with friends, while another man was shot in Wavertree Botanic Gardens as children played metres away. A drug user was then forced to strip at gunpoint and left naked in the street before two dealers were shot within the space of half an hour.
Elliott denied being the gunman in relation to all of the incidents. He stood trial at Liverpool Crown Court over the course of three weeks accused of three charges of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, four of wounding with intent and two of robbery.
Co-defendants and retrial date
Co-defendants Kehinde Akinyele, 26, of Gloucester Court in Kensington, and 29-year-old Clayton, of Baker Way in Kensington, pleaded not guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of wounding with intent and two of robbery. Jurors in the case were discharged last week.
During a further hearing today, Friday, it was confirmed that Elliott will now face a retrial, lasting two weeks, on April 5 next year. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a grey New Balance tracksuit, he was further remanded into custody until this date by Judge Garrett Byrne.
