Jealous ex shot woman in neck

Jul 31 2007 By Ross Mccarthy, Birmingham Mail

A JEALOUS man shot his former girlfriend in the neck when he fired a hail of ball bearing pellets at her car following a row, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

Donna Cooke later had to undergo an operation under general anaesthetic to have a pellet removed and now has a permanent scar.

Kevin Jinks (22) of Dixon Close, Castle Vale, admitted wounding and possessing a firearm.

He was given a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years by Judge Estelle Hindley QC, who said it had been an "ill-advised and reckless act". She also ordered Jinks to do 200 hours' unpaid work, pay £500 compensation and £400 costs.

Tom Kenning, prosecuting, said Jinks and Miss Cooke had been in a "turbulent" relationship for five years which had come to an end in November last year.

He said on April 24 this year Miss Cooke went to the defendant's home to drop off some of his belongings and that during a conversation in her car they had started to argue, Jinks being unhappy that his ex-partner was seeing someone else.

Jinks got out of the vehicle saying he was going to get his mobile phone, but Miss Cooke then heard a "popping" sound and saw the defendant walking towards her with a pistol and shooting steel ball bearing pellets towards the car.

The passenger door window was open and the victim then felt something hit her neck.

Jinks continued to shoot, the pellets taking chunks out of the vehicle's windscreen.

Mr Kenning said Miss Cooke did manage to drive away and flagged down a passing police motorcyclist, who took her to hospital where a pellet was found to be embedded in her neck one centimetre deep.

Antonie Muller, defending, said Jinks had not expected to see his former girlfriend that day and had not intended a confrontation.

He said he knew Miss Cooke was fond of her car and that in his anger he had set about damaging the panels and glass with the weapon which he had bought for £70.

"It was the car that was the target of his anguish. He never intended that Donna Cooke would be physically hurt at all," he said.