Woodhouse Street Leeds: Gun fired twice during 'terrifying' attack on street where children were present

The rifle was fired on Woodhouse Street striking two people – a man and a woman who were left with minor injuries. It later transpired two men on electric bikes were following a black van and opened fire on the vehicle before riding off, Leeds Crown Court heard.

However, the innocent pair walking separately along the road were struck by fragments from the shots. The gunman was never found, but his accomplice Reece Liburd was recognised by police on street CCTV. He was handed a life sentence today for possession of a firearm with an intent to endanger life, and ordered to serve a minimum eight years.

The 28-year-old already has a previous conviction from 2017 when he was given a lengthy jail term for possessing a pistol. He was on licence at the time when he committed the latest offence.

Prosecuting the case, Ben Campbell said it happened at around 6.45pm on June 13, at which time Woodhouse Street was busy with pedestrians and cars. Children were also present outside a shop.

The first witness later said he heard two shots which he recognised as gunshots due to his military background. He dived between two cars but felt a pain between his shoulders. He suffered bruising thought to be from the a fragment of the shot.

He then spotted a male adjusting his clothing and “panicking”. A female walking along the street also felt a sharp pain in her back which left a red mark, again thought to be from the shots fired. A building window was also damaged.

Two other witnesses described the incident as “absolutely terrifying” and feared the gunman would “just open fire on random people”.

Liburd, of Cragside Walk, Kirkstall, was recognised from CCTV during the police investigation and arrested 17 days later. However, they failed to trace the gunman and the weapon used.

The Crown said it was clear that Liburd and the second man had been following the black van on their bikes. It was thought there had been a long-standing dispute between them and the driver and intended to fire in that direction.

Liburd was out of prison on licence at the time, having been jailed for 10 years and five months in 2017 for a firearms offence. He was caught in possession of a 9mm pistol with a silencer.

For the latest offence, Liburd admitted he knew the other man had a gun and that it was loaded, but claimed he did not know that it would be used.

Mitigating, Kara Frith said that since his release from prison, Liburd had “struggled to extricate himself from former friends” but said there were some “signs of maturity”.

She said: "He knows it was a loaded firearm and a risk of being discharged. It clearly makes him guilty, but less than the male who discharged the weapon.”

Judge Rodney Jameson KC described it as a “very serious” offence before passing down the life sentence.