Five men have been cleared of conspiring together to shoot a teenage gang member in Leeds.
Jurors acquitted four men of planning the shooting of 17-year-old Emile Riggan, which took place on Pasture Road in Harehills in July last year.
The four men found not guilty of conspiring together to possess a firearm, namely a shotgun, with intent to endanger life and to cause grievous bodily harm were: Ashley and Jordan Stapleton, both 29; Joel Ogbonson, 28, of Roundhay Grove, Chapel Allerton, Leeds and; Even Weolmichael, 24, of Bristol Road in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
The verdicts were delivered yesterday (Wednesday) following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
A fifth man - O'Shea Davis, 26, of Cross Roundhay Avenue, Chapeltown, Leeds - faced the same charges and an additional charge of possession with intent to supply cannabis, but walked free in October this year after a judge agreed to dismiss his charges.
It had been alleged that the five men were part of a rival gang who took revenge on Riggan for his involvement in two shootings that took place earlier that day in Chapeltown.
Ashley Stapleton, of no fixed abode, and Jordan Stapleton, of Potternewton Heights, Chapel Allerton, were handed 24-month suspended prison sentences in April this year after being convicted of an unrelated burglary.
Riggan and Shaheem Isaac, 24, were locked up in February this year after admitting their involvement in the Chapeltown violence.
Isaac, of Louis Grove Chapeltown, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and criminal damage and was jailed for eight years.
Riggan and a 15-year-old male, who cannot be identified as he is a youth, both pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Riggan, of Spencer Place, Chapeltown, was sent to a young offender institution for a year.
In July this year, the youth was handed a three-year youth rehabilitation order with a six-month curfew and conditions not to enter the city of Leeds for three months or to contact his co-accused and the victims.
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