Nicholas Campbell QC and Rupert Doswell, instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service, saw Nicholas (known as Nicky) Beck convicted unanimously by a jury sitting at Leeds Crown Court this week. It was on a Sunday morning in the spring of 2019 that he and an accomplice had armed themselves with a shotgun, traced their victim’s van and followed it to the Holme Wood area of Bradford. When he pulled up, the attack, which was to settle a score, took place. The victim was shot in the leg at point blank range. The pair then made off in their own vehicle which was later destroyed by fire.
The victim was reluctant to cooperate with the inevitable police investigation, but in due course, as he recovered the use of his leg, was to name the gunman. By the time he came to give evidence, for whatever reason, he told the jury that he had been mistaken in that identification. Nevertheless, the West Yorkshire Police team, under the direction of Det. Ins. Andrew Cass, had put together a strong case which the jury clearly found compelling. Nicky Beck was convicted of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, together with an ancillary offence under the 1968 Firearms Act.
On Thursday 17th October, nine named officers and civilian employees from the police team were commended for their work by the Hon. Mr. Justice Butcher, whilst Mr. Beck was taken down to the cells to begin a sentence of 14 years imprisonment.