'Shamed' boy guilty of shooting

A 15-year-old youth who shot a man for "humiliating" him has been convicted of attempted murder at the Old Bailey.

The teenager was in a gang which robbed Jason Major in Peckham, south London. Mr Major tracked him down and he was made to return the stolen goods.

Last October the boy, then 14, fired at Mr Major through a car window to avenge his "humiliation", the court heard.

The teenager, not identified due to his age, was also convicted of having a gun with intent to endanger life.

A 17-year-old, also accused of attempted murder, possessing a firearm with intent and possessing a prohibited weapon, was cleared of all charges. Both teenagers had denied all charges.

Their humiliation must have been even greater when his mother made them give back the property Jason Dunn-Shaw, prosecutor

Prosecuting, Jason Dunn-Shaw said that Mr Major, who is in his early 20s, was robbed by the gang last year.

He subsequently traced the boy to a block of flats in south London, and a mother of one of his friends made the youth return the stolen items.

"Not only did the group look foolish in each other's eyes, their humiliation must have been even greater when his mother made them give back the property," Mr Dunn-Shaw said.

"It was that humiliation that they intended to avenge."

Gun jammed

Mr Major was targeted months later when he was in a car with his girlfriend.

The teenager fired into the passenger window but his gun jammed in the first shot, giving Mr Major time to duck.

The second shot hit Mr Major in the back and his girlfriend drove to the nearest police station.

The prosecutor said that if the gun had not jammed the first shot could have killed Mr Major.

"The gods were smiling on him at that moment," said Mr Dunn-Shaw.

The youth will be sentenced in April.