In a chilling random attack that shocked Chelmsley Wood, Solihull, nineteen-year-old J’jay Lawlor confronted and shot Liam Roberts in the street late at night, leaving the victim haunted by the question, “Why me?”.
The incident occurred around 11pm on 25 January 2025, when Lawlor, with his face concealed, stepped out of a Volvo and confronted two men riding motorbikes-individuals he did not know. Addressing Liam Roberts, one of the bikers, Lawlor threatened him, saying, “Get the f*** off the bike now, you think this is a joke?”. Without further warning, Lawlor pulled a gun concealed in a blue bag and fired.
After shooting Roberts in the arm, Lawlor returned to the car and fled the scene with accomplices James Sherriff, who was driving, and passenger Carl Gamble. Roberts sought immediate hospital treatment, which included surgery to remove the bullet.
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In the months following, Lawlor, now aged 21, alongside Sherriff, 47, and Gamble, 29, were convicted of multiple offences connected to the incident.
During sentencing proceedings at Birmingham Crown Court on 24 July, Roberts’ victim impact statement revealed the profound effects of the attack. A father of three, Roberts spoke candidly about his ongoing struggles: fear of strangers, difficulty trusting those around him, and the disruption caused to his family life, leading them to relocate.
He expressed deep frustration that Lawlor chose not to testify at trial, saying, “I just wanted an explanation. I wanted to be told why I was shot for my own peace of mind. My family deserved to know. I deserved to know the reason. Was it all over my bike or something else? After all that time I deserved an honest answer.”
Defence barrister Lynette McClement relayed that she had questioned Lawlor about his motives. According to her, Lawlor maintained he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and that Roberts was not the intended target. She quoted Lawlor as saying, “Please don’t be afraid in the future. It was not you we were targeting. It was the bike. It would have been whoever was on the bike.”
Lawlor was apprehended about a week after the shooting at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the time, police discovered over £2,000 worth of cocaine, which he was alleged to be dealing, as well as a Taser. Prior to this event, Lawlor had no previous criminal record.
During sentencing, Judge Richard Bond remarked on the rarity and severity of Lawlor’s sudden escalation to serious offending, describing the violence inflicted on Roberts as “disproportionate” and “just ridiculous.”
The court heard of Lawlor’s troubled background, including never having met his biological father, who is incarcerated on a lengthy sentence, and a step-father imprisoned for high-level drug importation. Ms McClement detailed how Lawlor had witnessed a harrowing video of his step-father being assaulted in HMP Belmarsh, an experience that profoundly affected him. Following this, Lawlor began using cocaine and was under its influence at the time of the shooting.
Lawlor, from Stratford Road, Solihull, entered pleas admitting attempted robbery; possessing a firearm during a schedule 1 offence; possession of a prohibited weapon; and possession with intent to supply class A drugs. However, after trial, he was found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and wounding with intent.
Sherriff, of Masons Way, Solihull, and Gamble, of no fixed address, were also convicted for their roles in the wounding, robbery, and firearms offences.
Sentencing for the trio is set to continue on a later date, as the community awaits justice for the violent night that left Liam Roberts with lasting fear and unanswered questions.