Man bragged in raps about nearly killing rival's dad

A man who wrote raps bragging about nearly killing a rival's father in a shooting has been jailed alongside two teenage accomplices.

Liam McElvaney, 23, carried out the attack near Middlesbrough in "revenge" after his girlfriend's home had been invaded by men with machetes, during which he hid under a child's bed while the woman was set upon, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The man was shot in the stomach in his kitchen, with his life only saved by rapid medical intervention.

McElvaney admitted intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm, possessing a firearm intending to endanger life and perverting the course of justice after he tried to offer the victim £5,000 to withdraw his evidence.

He was jailed for 16 and a half years with a further four years to be served on extended licence.

McElvaney had been involved in a feud with another man which culminated in several attacks in the spring of 2024, prosecutor Rachel Landin said.

Shortly before 22:00 BST on 31 March 2024, several men armed with machetes forced their way into the home of McElvaney's then-girlfriend and attacked her while he hid, the court heard.

Over the following hours, McElvaney, of no fixed abode, rounded up several accomplices to carry out a "revenge" attack, the court heard.

They included then 16-year-old Jayden Woodley, who travelled from his home in West Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, to take part, and Wayne Narey, who was 17 and from Middlesbrough.

At about 03:30 BST on 1 April, the shooting victim was "lured" into his kitchen on Richmond Court in Grangetown by someone tapping at his door or window, the court heard.

Once there, McElvaney fired a .410 gauge shotgun through the window, striking the man in the abdomen, the court heard.

As his attackers fled, the victim was taken to James Cook University Hospital where surgeons "saved his life", Landin said.

Two parts of his small bowel and his gall bladder had to be removed, with the man needing several surgeries during a five-week stay in hospital, the court heard.

Just 45 minutes after the shooting, McElvaney was "boasting" about his actions in messages to others, Landin said.

Police quickly identified the culprits using CCTV and location data from Narey's phone, the court heard, with the device also containing several videos showing Narey with so-called slam guns, a homemade firearm.

While in prison, McElvaney, who had 41 offences on his criminal record, wrote several raps bragging about the shooting which he was recorded reading over the phone to friends, the court heard.

He also sent associates a letter in which he asked them to offer the victim £5,000 in exchange for the man saying McElvaney was not responsible for the shooting, the court heard.

Narey, now 19, and Woodley, 18, both admitted possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life with Narey also pleading guilty to attempting to possess a firearm.

Judge Francis Laird KC said McElvaney was "very much the leader" and there had been a "significant degree of planning" for the "revenge" attack.

The two teenagers were both vulnerable, the judge added.

Narey was sentenced to nine years detention in a young offender institution and Woodley to six years and three months.

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