James Gray, the getaway driver involved in a May 2023 shooting at a family home in Willenhall, Walsall, has been sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in prison, shedding light on a troubled and violent past. Gray, 28, of Minstead Road, was convicted alongside ex-Burger Bar Boys gangster Sharif Cousins for possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
The attack occurred just before 2 a.m. on May 26, targeting a house occupied by five people, including parents and their two children. Gray maintained he believed he was involved in a cannabis drug drop, not a shooting. However, the court rejected his claim, emphasizing that as the getaway driver, he played a critical role in the dangerous incident.
Sharif Cousins, 50, of Chester Road, was sentenced to 12 years in prison with an additional three years on licence, branded a dangerous offender due to a lengthy criminal history. Cousins’ record includes offenses such as drug crimes, burglary, robbery, and even holding a gun to a police officer’s head.
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While Gray has no previous firearm convictions, his criminal record is far from clean. Prosecutor Sarah Slater revealed that Gray had previously served a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty to stabbing a man in the back, a violent act he had described as an “accident gone wrong.” Judge Dean Kershaw strongly dismissed that characterization during sentencing, stating that a guilty plea for such an offense cannot be considered an accident.
Gray’s past also includes convictions for possession of an offensive weapon and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. Despite his claims of limited involvement and lack of prior knowledge about the shooting, the court found his role as driver to be significant in facilitating the attack.
On the night of the incident, Gray used his father’s mobility car as the getaway vehicle, picking up Sharif Cousins and another male before two shots were fired through the kitchen window and into a vehicle parked on the driveway. Judge Kershaw made it clear that being the driver during the shooting was no minor role but a key factor in the crime’s execution.
Throughout the trial, Gray’s defense, led by Marcus Harry, argued that Gray did not have prior knowledge of the shooting and only acknowledged his contribution as the driver. Nevertheless, the court maintained that his participation was deliberate and integral to the attack.
This sentencing underscores the severity of Grey’s involvement and highlights a dangerous pattern of violent behavior, marking him as a continuing threat to public safety.