Man convicted after gunshots fired in Birmingham

Deraj Meade was arrested by officers within days of two shots being fired in John Bright Street

Author: Claire EmmsPublished 20th Dec 2023

A 22-year-old gunman has been convicted after shots were fired in a busy Birmingham city centre street.

Deraj Meade was arrested by officers within days of two shots being fired in John Bright Street as people were leaving bars in the area near New Street Station at around 3.15am on Saturday 17 June.

By 21 June Police had arrested Meade with forensic examinations and careful trawls of CCTV proving vital in identifying him.

At the opening day of his trial on Tuesday (12 Dec) Meade pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and having ammunition without a certificate.

Meade, of Sheldon Heath Road, Birmingham, will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 23 February.

Detective Sergeant Lucy Mooney from Force CID/Major crime Team, said: “A large number of innocent people were put at risk when these shots were fired.

"But our quick-time investigations meant we were able to identify the gunman and detain him within just a matter of days.

"And those investigations also proved so robust that he then pleaded guilty to the charges."

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