Newcastle Gang Jailed After Revenge Shooting Left Man Fighting for Life

A violent gang feud in the North East has ended with three men being jailed after a shotgun attack left a man with devastating injuries and pellets lodged in vital organs. The case, which shocked communities across Teesside and Newcastle upon Tyne, exposed the dangerous reality of escalating gang violence in the region.

Liam McElvaney, Wayne Narey and Jayden Woodley were sentenced at Teesside Crown Court after admitting their roles in the brutal revenge attack that unfolded in the early hours of April 1, 2024. The shooting left the victim requiring emergency surgery after pellets became embedded in his liver, bowel and chest.

Revenge Attack Sparked By Bitter Feud.

The court heard the violence was linked to an ongoing and deeply personal feud between rival groups in the North East. Prosecutors described the dispute as both bitter and violent, with tensions escalating rapidly after a break-in at McElvaney’s girlfriend’s home in Ormesby just hours before the shooting.

According to the prosecution, a group of men entered the property on Starbeck Way searching for McElvaney. When they failed to find him, they assaulted his girlfriend and caused extensive damage to the home while he hid upstairs beneath a child’s bed.

That incident triggered an immediate retaliation plan. Prosecutors told the court McElvaney quickly began arranging revenge against individuals linked to the attack. However, the man ultimately targeted was not his direct rival, but the father of the individual involved in the feud.

The court heard that McElvaney contacted associates including Jayden Woodley, telling him he had access to a gun and needed assistance carrying out a “job”. Alongside Wayne Narey and two unidentified accomplices, the group travelled to Richmond Court in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, during the early hours of the morning.

Victim Left With Life-Threatening Injuries.

At around 3.30am, one member of the group approached the victim’s property carrying a .410 shotgun and knocked on the kitchen door. As the victim entered the kitchen area to investigate, McElvaney fired through a window, striking him in the abdomen.

The injuries were catastrophic. Prosecutors told the court pellets became lodged in the victim’s liver, chest and bowel, leaving him in critical condition. Surgeons at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough were forced to carry out emergency surgery to save his life.

Medical experts confirmed that sections of the victim’s small bowel and gall bladder had to be removed during the operation. The court was also told the victim would likely have died without urgent surgical intervention.

CCTV footage captured the group fleeing the scene shortly after the shooting. Investigators later used mobile phone data and surveillance footage to piece together the movements of those involved.

Police Investigation Uncovered Disturbing Messages.

As detectives examined phones and social media accounts linked to the group, they uncovered a series of disturbing messages and recordings connected to the attack.

The court heard McElvaney later boasted about the shooting in messages sent to associates. Prosecutors revealed one message included comments celebrating the violence, while another referenced using petrol to remove gunshot residue from his body.

Investigators also discovered videos linked to Wayne Narey showing him handling and firing what appeared to be a makeshift firearm in woodland areas. Although the weapon used in the shooting was never recovered, detectives said the evidence helped demonstrate the group’s access to firearms and violent criminal behaviour.

Further evidence emerged after McElvaney was remanded to HMP Holme House. While in prison, he was recorded performing rap lyrics over the phone which referenced the shooting and mocked the victim’s injuries. Prosecutors also revealed he attempted to interfere with the investigation by arranging for a £5,000 payment to be offered to the victim in exchange for denying his involvement in court.

Court Hears Of Difficult Childhoods.

During sentencing, defence barristers outlined the troubled backgrounds of the three defendants. The court heard McElvaney had grown up within the care system and experienced a deeply unstable upbringing.

Lawyers representing Wayne Narey described him as a vulnerable young man who had witnessed domestic violence throughout his childhood, leaving him highly susceptible to negative influences and peer pressure.

Jayden Woodley, who was only 16 at the time of the offence, was said to have neurodivergent traits and a low IQ. His defence argued that his immaturity and difficult upbringing had contributed to his involvement in the attack.

Despite hearing mitigation from all three men, Judge Francis Laird concluded that the seriousness of the offence required lengthy prison sentences due to the level of planning, use of firearms and potentially fatal consequences.

Lengthy Jail Terms Handed Down.

McElvaney, 23, from Sunderland, was identified as the leading figure behind the shooting. He admitted possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and perverting the course of justice. He received an extended sentence totalling 20 years and six months, including four years on extended licence following his release.

Nineteen-year-old Wayne Narey, from Middlesbrough, was sentenced to nine years in a Young Offenders’ Institution after admitting firearm offences connected to the attack.

Jayden Woodley, 18, from West Auckland, was jailed for six years and three months.

Following sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Tom Sewell said the attack had caused significant fear within the local community and stressed that firearms violence would never be tolerated across the North East. Cleveland Police also said the sentences should act as a warning to anyone considering involvement in serious organised crime.

The case has once again highlighted growing concerns around gang-related violence across areas including Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne, where police continue to target organised criminal networks linked to weapons and drug offences.

What are your thoughts on rising gang violence across Newcastle upon Tyne and the wider North East?