Man fired shotgun at rival 'by mistake'

A man accused of attempted murder told a court he only meant to "frighten" the person who had "tormented" him and his family, but a shotgun he was holding went off accidentally.

William Scammell, 25, from Speedwell in Bristol, has admitted pulling up alongside Ryan Cridland's car and firing a sawn-off shotgun through his window on 1 April.

Scammell claimed he only carried the gun for protection following a campaign of intimidation from Cridland, who suffered serious shrapnel wounds to his chest.

But Alistair Haggerty, prosecuting, told a jury at Bristol Crown Court earlier: "If his only intention was to deter harm, he could have carried an unloaded gun."

Scammell previously pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The court heard the pair were once childhood friends but had drifted apart after Cridland got involved with the "wrong crowd".

"I didn't want to put myself in danger or get myself into trouble, so I stayed away from it," Scammell said.

A few months prior to the shooting, the defendant claimed Cridland had stolen his e-bike at gunpoint, which he willingly handed over "because I was worried I could get assaulted or he might use a gun".

The defendant also alleged to have been the victim of a prolonged assault lasting six hours by friends of Cridland in October 2025, in which he was punched in the face, stamped on and suffocated.

He told the court he was "too worried about what would happen to me" if he reported either incident to police, but he did confide in his father.

When his father confronted the group, Scammell said they broke his leg so badly he required surgery to install eight metal rods.

It was after this incident that a friend offered Scammell the shotgun for protection.

"What drives a person to accept such an offer? He felt he had no alternatives to protect his family," said Gelaga King, defending.

The court was told Scammell admitted carrying the loaded weapon around Bristol in the days leading up to the incident, concealed inside his waistband.

On 1 April, Scammell said he was cycling on his new e-bike to meet a friend when he saw Cridland pass by him in the passenger seat of a white VW Polo.

Scammell followed the car, running a red light, and pulled up alongside the driver side, telling Cridland: "Don't think you can come to my mum and dad's house."

He told the court Cridland began smirking, so Scammell went around to the passenger side of the car with the intention of showing off the weapon.

He said he planned to fire a warning shot over Cridland's shoulder into the empty seat behind him, but the gun went off prematurely and struck him in the chest.

Scammell then fled the scene before burning his clothing and disposing of evidence in St Anne's Woods, including his phone, his new e-bike, and shotgun cartridges.

Cridland was taken to hospital where doctors discovered between 180-220 lead shrapnel fragments buried in his chest, alongside bruising to his lung and heart.

"We looked at the x-ray and those pieces were scattered all over, beneath his ribs," said Haggerty.

"The fact Mr Cridland did not die due to the impact of the gunshot was simply a fluke of physics - the result of extraordinary good luck."

The defence said the loaded gun contained two cartridges, but only one was fired.

"A man who meant to endanger life had every chance to do so. Instead, he turned and left," argued King.

"There is no dispute he was responsible for that gun being discharged, but that is not the same as wanting him dead.

"That was his stupid and irresponsible way of trying to protect himself and his family from the sustained campaign of violence and bullying against him."

But Haggerty said it was difficult to ignore the gun was loaded, cocked, and aimed at close range into a car carrying three people.

"What is that, if not intent to endanger life?" Haggerty asked.

"There is something nihilistic - something self destructive about it - that to back down is a sign of weakness. And so, to save face, drastic actions were taken."

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