An innocent man was shot in the legs with a shotgun while walking to a chip shop in a case of mistaken identity. Daniel Lawless, 23, was jailed for 18-and-a-half years at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting wounding with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Shooting Details
The victim, David Forbes, left his home on the evening of February 28 last year to pick up food for his family from a chip shop in Croxteth. As he crossed Cubert Road, he noticed Lawless, who was wearing all black and had his face covered, dropping a white plastic bag and running towards him. Lawless mumbled something indistinct before pointing a shotgun at Forbes and firing.
Forbes recalled a 'bang and a flash' before falling to the floor and realizing he had been shot in the legs. He dragged himself back to his house, where his stepson saw him entering and crying 'I've been shot.' Forbes believed it was a case of mistaken identity, which prosecutors confirmed.
Injuries and Aftermath
Forbes suffered 'nasty injuries to his lower leg,' spending two weeks in hospital initially, then being readmitted for four weeks due to blood clots. He has undergone multiple operations and skin grafts, with hundreds of shotgun pellets still embedded in his legs. Unable to attend the sentencing due to ongoing medical procedures, Forbes said in a statement: 'I wanted to look at him directly and ask him why? I have no knowledge of why this happened. I was the wrong person at the wrong time.'
He added: 'I'm glad it happened to me. Initially, my stepson was going to the chip shop. I decided to go instead. He's struggled with what's happened and struggled with his exams during his third year at university.'
Gun Display and Background
CCTV footage showed Lawless leaving an address on Petherick Road shortly after 10pm and entering the car park of the Lobster pub, where he produced the shotgun from a carrier bag and showed it to three males. He then walked away to carry out the shooting, ran from the scene, briefly returned, and left again, gesturing towards the males in the car park. He later returned to the address in a taxi at 7.15am the following day wearing a dressing gown and carrying a black rucksack. The gun was never recovered.
Lawless had previous convictions, including 10 months for making threats with an offensive weapon in January 2023 and five years and four months for wounding with intent in July 2025 after throwing boiling hot sugar water over his cellmate.
Defense and Sentencing
Charles Lander, defending, said Lawless had suffered the death of his grandmother and faced a lengthy prison term. He noted that Lawless had found employment as a wing cleaner in prison but had 'significant issues with his mental health.' Lander added: 'He is determined, when released from prison, that he is going to leave Liverpool, leave the various associates who he stupidly hung around with... and ultimately be a member of society his parents can be proud of.'
Judge Garrett Byrne sentenced Lawless to 18-and-a-half years with an additional four years on licence, saying: 'Mr Forbes was a totally innocent member of the public. He did not know you. He did not associate with you or any of your friends. He had nothing to do with any criminal group. He was simply walking to a chip shop to get some food.'
