attempted murder

AN angry teenager gunned down an Afro Caribbean mother and her eight year old daughter just hours after venting his hatred of black people, a court heard on Tuesday.

Robert Vincent, 18, left university lecturer's wife Priscilla Nkwenti, 38, and her youngest daughter Maanti for dead after he opened fire on them with a Baikel 12 bore shotgun, it was claimed.

He allegedly hit Mrs Nkwenti and Maanti in the head causing them to be dripping in blood. But miraculously they survived the shooting after being treated at Trafford General Hospital.

The incident occurred after Mrs Nkwenti had been to a party with 40 year old husband Blaise, a French and Computers tutor at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Maanti and their 12 year old son.

They were getting out of their F reg Rover on their driveway in Stretford, when Vincent allegedly opened fire from a house across the road on May 3 this year.

Moments after their security lights went on Mrs Nkwenti heard a noise like a loud explosion, she felt a deep pain in her head and arm and screamed to her husband Blaise: "I've been shot."

In a statement read to Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Mrs Nkwenti said: "There was a loud explosion, I thought I had done something to the car. I felt a searing pain. I felt blood dripping from my fingertips and my top was red with blood.

"I screamed out 'I have been shot.' Blaise got out and opened the door and we all went in. I took hold of Maanti and she said 'mummy I have been shot.'

"I have no idea why anyone would shoot me or my family."

In his statement Mr Nkwenti said he heard a bang but thought nothing of it until he heard his wife's screams.

"I heard my wife screaming, I could see she was bleeding round the neck. I was in a panic.

"I rang an ambulance, Priscilla was soaked in blood, she had a scarf round her neck to stem the flow. Maanti had a mark on her right cheek with blood."

Mrs Nkwenti and her daughter were treated at the accident and emergency department at Trafford General Hospital. Mrs Nkwenti was found to have pellet lodged in her head and her daughter had a pellet removed from her cheek under general anasthetic.

Mr Holland said Vincent had earlier been at a house opposite the Nkwenti's family home that belonged to the grandmother of his 17 year old friend ,Wayne Lindsey, on that night.

Vincent had chatted to teenage friends Gemma Cunningham and Lucy White after they were invited round to the house and Vincent seemed to be in a bad mood.

Rick Holland, prosecuting said: "Lucy White said Mr Vincent seemed to be in a bad mood and while they were in the lounge there was a conversation.

"Mr Vincent made some offensive remarks that revealed his dislike and hatred for black people. This may be of some significance because the complainants in the case are coloured'.

The day after the shooting Vincent stopped Wayne Lindsey's girlfriend Kelly Grant who was carrying a newspaper.

"He took the paper and went into an alleyway to read it and returned and said 'I didn't fire twice I only fired once,'" added Mr Holland.

"He said he hadn't intended to shoot anybody but wanted to see how loud the gun would be."

Mr Holland said: "It must have been the defendant's intentions, at the very least, to cause very serious harm to the people at which the gun was ultimately aimed.

"The gun had a safety switch which must have been in the off position. It was no accident that this occurred."

Vincent, of Matlock Road, Stretford, denies two counts of attempted murder and two lesser charges of wounding with intent.

He also denies possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and possessing a firearm without a certificate.

The trial continues

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