A man was shot in the head in a dispute over a perceived slight to friend ‘Big Billy’s’ sister, Oxford Crown Court heard.

Jurors were told Zain Shah, 22, admitted blasting Waris Kayani at near point-blank range on September 23 last year. The incident, which was caught on CCTV, saw him fire at the victim from a stolen black Audi getaway car from which a machete was later recovered.

But he denied attempting to murder the victim, who survived despite the bullet hitting him in the head.

Opening the case for the Crown on Monday morning, prosecutor Barry McElduff said: “The prosecution say, quite simply, what other intention could he have had when he shot him in the way that he did, having armed himself with a gun and a machete and a stolen car as he sought to wreak retribution on the streets of Luton.”

The Oxford jury was told that the seeds for the shooting were sown three days earlier, in a dispute between an Imran Hussain and the sister of a second man called Bilal ‘Big Billy’ Ahmed.

On the day of the shooting, Mr Ahmed and the defendant were said to have confronted Mr Hussain. The former allegedly asked ‘did you swear at my sister?’ then, together with Shah, set about the man’s car, causing what Mr McElduff described as ‘extensive damage’ to it.

There was ‘tit for tat’ damage to Shah’s silver-coloured Vauxhall Insignia, which led to a ‘ratcheting up’ of the dispute between the warring parties, the court was told.

Mr McElduff said: “Incensed, the prosecution say, by the damage to his own car, he managed to get his hands on another car, a stolen black Audi car as it happens, and he started driving it around the area to find the people responsible for damaging his car and to exact revenge.”

The stolen Audi was being driven on fake numberplates, with Shah’s fingerprints later found on the rear plate.

The man who would eventually be shot, Mr Kayani, was said to have left his home with a crowbar.

He crouched between parked cars on St Mildred’s Avenue then ran out in front of Shah’s Audi. He approached the car and was shot through the open driver’s-side window.

“He will tell you he believes he managed to duck slightly, which meant he avoided a fatal injury,” Mr McElduff said.

“He also believes he was shot twice. He wasn’t. He was shot once. Why do I say that with that confidence? Because it was caught on CCTV.

“Doorbell camera footage captures the shooting in its shocking detail – but not gory detail.”

The short clip, which was played to jurors, showed the shooting. It was over in less than 10 seconds.

The black Audi was dumped in Primrose Close, a mile from where the shooting happened. A machete was found in the car.

Shah, of St Winnifreds Avenue, Luton, denies attempted murder. He has pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and other associated offences.

The trial continues.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward