Crossbow fired at car and drug rival's house in Worcester turf war

Tommy Lee Jauncey and Scott Fewtrell attacked the home of their boss's rival 'drug dealer' Luke Bridger in Carlisle Road, Ronkswood, Worcester, a jury was told at the city's crown court yesterday.

Jauncey, Fewtrell and driver Jake Cox have already admitted conspiracy to cause actual bodily harm to Mr Bridger.

The two men in the dock - Asgar Khalfe, 25, formerly of Townley Gardens, Aston, Birmingham and Kane Ingram, 21, of Saddlers Walk, Worcester - deny conspiracy to assault Mr Bridger. However, Jauncey, Cox, Ingram and Khalfe have already admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin in Worcester between January 1 and August 31, 2017.

Steven Bailey, prosecuting, said though Khalfe and Ingram were not present during the attack on the Bridger family home, they were both involved in the conspiracy and, indeed, Khalfe was directing it as 'the boss' and 'main beneficiary of the violence'. Jauncey fired the crossbow at a Vauxhall Astra belonging to Shah Haque in Chedworth Drive, Warndon, at 5.15pm on August 30, 2017 and a bolt was recovered.

Mr Bailey said of the attack on the Bridger family home at around 5.30pm the same day: "It's part of a plan to use violence to protect a very lucrative and ruthless drug trade."

He added: "Luke Bridger was a rival drug dealer."

Jauncey, 23, was armed with a blank firing pistol bought from Durrant & Son in Mealcheapen Street on the day of the attack and Fewtrell, 28, with a crossbow as the men shouted 'where's Bridger?' Mr Bailey said of a photo given to the jury: "That's Scott Fewtrell pointing the loaded crossbow at the house. It was discharged and, in due course, you will see the damage it did to the front door."

Luke Bridger was not present during the attack but challenged Jauncey in a message, saying: "What are you doing outside my mum's with a crossbow?"

The blank firing pistol had been orange and the shop's proprietor had warned the men not to change its appearance.

The pistol was later painted black with paint from Poundland in The Shambles to make it look more like a real gun, said Mr Bailey.

The prosecutor described the trade as 'big business', telling the jury of 12 women that one of the defendants had been boasting of making £1,000 per day. Mr Bailey said Luke Bridger had tried to recruit Ingram to work with him and 'rip off Mr Khalfe (known ad 'Ozy' or 'Ozzie') and close him out of the local trade'.

"Luke Bridger talks about the need to rob Ozy" said Mr Bailey.

The crossbow and imitation firearm were both discharged in front of passers-by and children before Cox drove Fewtrell and Jauncey away in an Audi A3. Mr Bailey said Khalfe was talking about the attack on WhatsApp at 8.01pm on the day of the attack, 'not exposing himself to immediate risk, not getting his hands dirty'.

Jauncey, Cox and Ingram were arrested later that day with 35 deals of heroin and a 'significant amount of cash'. On Ingram's phone were photos of him posing with a serrated knife and 'wads of cash'. One of the captions read: "The Queen don't stop ringing." The trial continues.